# Diátaxis Documentation Framework

> **What this notes cover**\
> \&#xNAN;*My learning notes about the* [*Diátaxis*](https://diataxis.fr/) *documentation authoring framework.*

## Overview

[**Diátaxis**](https://diataxis.fr/) **is a lightweight documentation authoring framework** with the following main characteristics:

* *straightforward application,*
* *no implementation constraints,*
* *focuses on user needs to define documentation types.*

**The goal of** [**Diátaxis**](https://diataxis.fr/) **is to improve documentation quality** **by describing an information architecture** (types of documents) that emerges from a systematic understanding of the needs of the documentation users.

## User Needs and Types of Documentation

[**Diátaxis**](https://diataxis.fr/) **groups user needs under four scopes** to describe *four different types of documentation* as shown in the following table:

| Scope                      | User Needs                                                                                                                                                | Type of Documentation |
| -------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- |
| **Learning**               | Users needs to learn about a specific topic before doing anything else.                                                                                   | *Tutorials*           |
| **Task-oriented**          | Users need to perform a specific task successfully.                                                                                                       | *How-to guides*       |
| **Understanding-oriented** | Users need to understand high-level concepts, ideas, processes, or a specific context before learning about other topics or performing any specific task. | *Explanation*         |
| **Reference**              | Users need a source of information as a reference for all the tasks and the required working contexts.                                                    | *References*          |

**Each type of documentation fulfills a different purpose** and requires technical writers to focus on specific aspects of the required information to develop its content.