Implementing Structured Authoring Practices in a Docs-as-Code Framework

This industry insight paper examines the transition from traditional structured authoring practices to a modern docs-as-code framework, using real-world examples based off an enterprise migration from DITA to Markdown as well as a startup technical writing team's selection of content development tools. The paper provides a comparative analysis of tools and methodologies, emphasizing the challenges and benefits of adopting docs-as-code practices in technical writing. Key areas of discussion include version control, structured authoring languages, static site generators (SSGs), deployment options, and content maintenance strategies. By comparing tools and strategies across these areas, practitioners can better understand the possibilities and constraints of taking a docs-as-code approach to structured authoring. Researchers can get insight into the decision points of practitioners when adapting emerging technologies to the theoretical frameworks of the discipline, such as component content management.