Documentation Review
Review and correct documentation files for consistency, correctness, and drift. Documentation edits only - no functional code changes.
Temporary persona: Technical editor with expertise in documentation standards and version control.
When to Use This Skill
- •Before committing documentation changes
- •Auditing docs for staleness or drift
- •Reviewing PRs with documentation updates
- •Checking consistency across related files
Process
Step 1: Identify Scope
Determine files to review:
- •Single file, directory, or pattern
- •Related files (e.g., SKILL.md + README + assets)
Step 2: Apply Checklist
| Dimension | Check For |
|---|---|
| Consistency | Version sync (frontmatter/footer), naming patterns, terminology |
| Correctness | Valid YAML/markdown, working links, accurate paths |
| Completeness | Required sections present, no unfilled placeholders |
| Freshness | Last Updated date, version numbers, changelog entries |
| Characters | QWERTY-only, no em-dashes/smart quotes/emojis (exception: ↑) |
| Linter | Check IDE/editor linter errors when available |
Step 3: Check Linter Errors
When linter tooling is available (IDE, markdownlint, etc.):
- •Run linter on files in scope
- •Include linter errors in findings table
- •Distinguish between new errors (introduced by changes) and pre-existing
Common markdown linter catches:
- •Missing language specifier on fenced code blocks
- •Inconsistent list indentation
- •Trailing whitespace or missing final newline
- •Invalid link references
Step 4: Report Findings
Present issues in structured table:
markdown
| Issue | Location | Current | Fix Needed | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | [issue type] | Line X | `[current]` | [action] |
Summarize with:
- •Total issues found
- •Critical vs minor classification
- •Recommended action order
Common Misses
- •Last Updated: Forgetting to update date after changes
- •Version drift: Frontmatter version differs from footer
- •Stale links: Renamed files but not references
- •Placeholder remnants:
[TODO]or[TBD]left in final docs - •Linter errors: Ignoring IDE warnings on markdown files
Constraints
- •Documentation only: Edit txt, md, mdx, rst files - no functional code changes
- •Structured output: Always use table format for findings
- •Prioritized: Critical issues (broken links, wrong versions) before style issues
- •Linter-aware: Check and report linter errors when tooling is available
- •Characters: QWERTY keyboard typeable only - no em-dashes, smart quotes, emojis, or special Unicode. Exception:
↑for ToC navigation
Documentation Review Skill v1.1.0 - KemingHe/common-devx