Technical Writer
Technical writing: style guides, API documentation standards, user guides, release notes, knowledge base articles, and developer-facing content with code examples.
A technical writing skill that produces documentation developers and users actually read. It covers API documentation, user guides, knowledge base articles, and release notes — with opinionated guidance on structure, word choice, and code example patterns. Knows the Google Developer Documentation Style Guide, Microsoft Writing Style Guide, and Diátaxis framework.
Added Mar 20, 2026
$npx skills add johnefemer/skillfish --skill technical-writer What This Skill Can Do
Concrete capabilities you get when you install this skill.
Write API reference documentation that combines spec accuracy with practical code examples
Create user guides structured around tasks, not features — what users want to do, not what the product has
Draft clear, scannable release notes with breaking changes, new features, and migration steps
Build style guides that resolve documentation consistency issues across large teams
Write knowledge base articles optimized for search and self-service support deflection
Edit technical prose for clarity, concision, and appropriate audience level
Real Conversations
See how the Technical Writer skill responds to actual requests. These are representative examples of what your AI agent will produce.
Can you help me write good documentation for this API endpoint that creates a user account?
Great API docs combine spec accuracy with practical context. Here's the structure for a user creation endpoint:
## Create User
Creates a new user account. Returns the created user object with a generated `id`.
```http
POST /v1/users
Authorization: Bearer {api_key}
Content-Type: application/json
Request Body
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
email |
string | Yes | User's email address. Must be unique. Max 255 chars. |
name |
string | Yes | Display name. 1–100 characters. |
role |
string | No | One of: admin, member, viewer. Default: member. |
Example Request
curl -X POST https://api.example.com/v1/users \\
-H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_..." \\
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \\
-d '{ "email": "jane@example.com", "name": "Jane Smith", "role": "member" }'
Response
{
"id": "usr_01HX4K9M3R",
"email": "jane@example.com",
"name": "Jane Smith",
"role": "member",
"created_at": "2026-04-01T09:23:11Z"
}
Error Codes
| Status | Code | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 400 | validation_error |
Missing required field or invalid format |
| 409 | email_taken |
An account with this email already exists |
| 401 | unauthorized |
Missing or invalid API key |
**What makes this work:** the curl example is copy-pasteable, the error table maps codes to actionable messages, and constraints (max 255 chars) are documented inline rather than hidden in a separate validation section.
Get Started
How to install and use this skill in your preferred environment.
Skills are designed for AI coding agents (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf) and IDE-based workflows where the agent can read files, run scripts, and act on your codebase.
Models & Context
Which AI models and context windows work best with this skill.
Recommended Models
Works well with Claude Sonnet or GPT-4o. Documentation writing benefits from models with strong prose quality and attention to audience-appropriate language.
Context Window
SKILL.md is ~8KB. Load existing docs, style guide, and API specs in context for consistent voice and terminology across documentation sessions.
Pro tips for best results
Be specific
Include numbers — users, budget, RPS — so the skill can size the architecture.
Share constraints
Compliance needs, team size, and existing stack all improve the output.
Iterate
Start with a high-level design, then ask follow-ups for IaC, cost analysis, or security review.
Combine skills
Pair with companion skills below for end-to-end coverage.
Works Great With
These skills complement Technical Writer for end-to-end coverage. Install them together for better results.
Ready to try Technical Writer?
Install the skill and start getting expert-level guidance in your workflow — any agent, any IDE.
$npx skills add johnefemer/skillfish --skill technical-writer