Docs Sync

---

name: docs-sync

description: >

Keep project documentation in sync with code changes. Identifies which docs need

updating after a PR merges or code changes, drafts the updates, and manages doc site

structure (mkdocs, docusaurus, vitepress). Use when: (1) a PR just merged and docs

may need updating, (2) the user says "update the docs" or "sync docs", (3) a new

doc was created and needs to be added to site navigation, (4) the user wants to audit

which docs are stale. NOT for: writing docs from scratch for a new project (just write

them), generating API reference docs from code comments (use typedoc/jazzy/etc.), or

content that isn't developer documentation.

---

# Docs Sync

Prerequisites

Keep project documentation current with code changes. Three modes:

1. **Content sync** — update doc content after code changes

2. **Site management** — maintain doc site structure and navigation

3. **Docs audit** — identify stale docs that need attention

Repo Discovery

Before doing anything, discover the project's documentation setup:

1. Run `git rev-parse --show-toplevel` to find the repo root

2. Check for `.docs-sync.yml` at the repo root — if it exists, read it and use its

values for all paths, roles, and site config

3. If no config file, auto-discover:

- Doc site engine: look for `mkdocs.yml`, `docusaurus.config.js`, `.vitepress/config.*`

- Doc directory: look for `docs/`, `documentation/`, `wiki/`

- Known doc files: scan for common patterns (see Doc Roles below)

- Convention files: `CLAUDE.md`, `AGENTS.md`, `CONTRIBUTING.md`

4. Run `gh repo view --json name,owner` to confirm the repo

Config File: `.docs-sync.yml`

Optional config file at repo root. All fields are optional — auto-discovery fills gaps.

See `docs-sync.yml` in the skill directory for a starter.

# Map your doc files to roles so the skill knows what content belongs where
docs:
  - path: docs/features.md
    role: features

  - path: docs/architecture.md
    role: architecture

  - path: CHANGELOG.md
    role: changelog
    format: keep-a-changelog

  - path: CLAUDE.md
    role: conventions

  - path: README.md
    role: readme

# Doc site configuration (optional)
site:
  engine: mkdocs               # mkdocs | docusaurus | vitepress
  config: mkdocs.yml           # path to site config
  auto_nav: true               # update navigation when docs change

Doc Roles

Roles tell the skill what kind of content a file contains, so it knows *how* to update it.

| Role | Content | Updated when... |

|------|---------|-----------------|

| `features` | User-facing feature descriptions, shortcuts, status | New feature added, feature behavior changes |

| `architecture` | App structure, data flow, patterns, diagrams | New components, changed patterns, refactors |

| `conventions` | Dev setup, coding rules, build commands | Build process changes, new conventions adopted |

| `changelog` | Version-based change history | Any significant change (follows format: keep-a-changelog, conventional, custom) |

| `readme` | Project overview, install instructions, quick start | Major features, install process changes |

| `api` | API reference, endpoints, function signatures | Public API changes |

| `guide` | Tutorials, how-tos, walkthroughs | Workflow changes, new capabilities |

| `custom` | Anything else — describe in the `description` field | Based on your description |

Auto-Detection (No Config)

Without a config file, the skill detects roles by filename:

| Pattern | Inferred role |

|---------|--------------|

| `*feature*`, `*capability*` | `features` |

| `*architect*`, `*design*`, `*structure*` | `architecture` |

| `CLAUDE.md`, `AGENTS.md`, `CONTRIBUTING.md`, `*convention*` | `conventions` |

| `CHANGELOG*`, `CHANGES*`, `HISTORY*` | `changelog` |

| `README*` | `readme` |

| `*api*`, `*reference*`, `*endpoint*` | `api` |

| `*guide*`, `*tutorial*`, `*howto*` | `guide` |

Files not matching any pattern are skipped unless listed in the config.

Workflow: Content Sync

When the user says docs need updating (or after a PR merge):

1. **Identify what changed** — determine the scope of code changes:

- If a PR number is provided: `gh pr view <N> --json files,title,body`

- If a commit range: `git diff --name-only <range>`

- If unspecified: `git diff --name-only HEAD~1` (last commit)

- Read the actual diffs for changed files to understand *what* changed, not just *which* files

2. **Map changes to affected docs** — for each changed file, determine which doc

roles are affected:

- New UI component → `features`, `architecture`

- Changed data model → `architecture`

- New keyboard shortcut → `features`

- Changed build command → `conventions`

- Bug fix → `changelog` (if tracking fixes)

- New API endpoint → `api`, `readme` (if it's a headline feature)

3. **Read current docs** — read each affected doc file to understand current content,

structure, and style

4. **Draft updates** — write the specific changes needed for each doc:

- Match the existing writing style and structure

- Add to existing sections rather than creating new ones (unless clearly needed)

- For `changelog`: add entry under the appropriate version/section

- For `features`: add or update the feature entry, not rewrite the whole file

- For `architecture`: update the affected section, preserve diagrams

5. **Apply or propose** — based on user preference:

- **Direct apply**: edit the files, commit to a branch, report what changed

- **Review first**: show the proposed changes and ask for approval

- **Issue**: create a GitHub issue listing which docs need updating and why

Quality Checklist

Before committing doc updates:

Workflow: Site Management

When docs are added, moved, or deleted — keep the site structure current.

mkdocs

1. Read `mkdocs.yml` and parse the `nav:` section

2. For new docs: determine the correct nav section based on the doc's role and path

3. Add the entry to `nav:` in the right position

4. For moved docs: update the nav path

5. For deleted docs: remove the nav entry

docusaurus

1. Check `sidebars.js` or `sidebars.ts`

2. For auto-generated sidebars: ensure the doc has correct frontmatter (`sidebar_position`, `sidebar_label`)

3. For manual sidebars: add/update/remove entries

vitepress

1. Check `.vitepress/config.*` for sidebar configuration

2. Add/update/remove sidebar entries as needed

General Rules

Workflow: Docs Audit

When the user asks "which docs are stale?" or "audit my docs":

1. Discover all doc files (see Repo Discovery)

2. For each doc file, check `git log -1 --format="%ar" -- <path>` for last modified

3. Compare with recent code changes in related areas

4. Report docs that may be stale:

- Doc hasn't been updated in a long time but related code changed recently

- Doc references files/functions/patterns that no longer exist

- Doc describes behavior that the code no longer implements

5. Suggest specific updates needed for each stale doc

Important Rules

"Added sync settings with enable/disable toggle, status indicator, and Sync Now button"

both docs but keep the changes focused on what actually changed

and follow its branch naming, commit message, and PR conventions