how-to-guide-writer

# How-to Guide Documentation Skill

This skill provides guidelines for creating **how-to guide** documentation - task-oriented content in the Diataxis framework.

## Purpose

How-to guides help users **accomplish a specific task**. The user knows what they want to do and needs practical steps to do it.

## User Need

> "I want to accomplish X."

## Characteristics

| Attribute | Description |
|-----------|-------------|
| **Orientation** | Task completion |
| **Focus** | Practical work |
| **Goal** | Help user achieve a goal |
| **Tone** | Direct, practical |

## Target Directory

Place how-to guides in: `docs/guides/`
- `docs/guides/user/` for end-user guides
- `docs/guides/developer/` for developer guides

## Writing Guidelines

### DO

- Assume the user knows what they want to do
- Focus on practical steps to achieve the goal
- Be flexible and allow for variations
- Include troubleshooting for common issues
- Provide working code examples
- Link to reference docs for details
- Link to explanations for "why" questions

### DON'T

- Explain underlying concepts in depth
- Teach or provide learning experiences
- Assume the reader is a beginner
- Include unnecessary background
- Cover every possible variation

## Examples of Good How-to Guides

- "How to deploy to production"
- "How to configure authentication"
- "How to migrate from v1 to v2"
- "How to set up local development"
- "How to add a new API endpoint"

---

## Template

Use this template when creating how-to guide documentation:

```markdown
# How to [accomplish specific task]

*Last updated: [YYYY-MM-DD]*

## Overview

This guide explains how to [brief description of what this helps you accomplish].

## Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

- [Prerequisite 1]
- [Prerequisite 2]

## Steps

### 1. [First action verb phrase]

[Clear, concise instruction]

[Code or command example]

### 2. [Second action verb phrase]

[Clear, concise instruction]

[Code or command example]

### 3. [Third action ve