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Re: The problem of documenting complex modules.

by bitingduck (Chaplain)
on Jul 05, 2015 at 21:00 UTC ( [id://1133292]=note: print w/replies, xml ) Need Help??


in reply to The problem of documenting complex modules.

I'm probably as much a "CPAN programmer" as Perl programmer, since there's so much stuff out there that's already done that helps me solve my problems.

The single most valuable thing to me in module documentation is a few little snippets of working code that I can paste in and run as a starting point. It removes ambiguity over what really needs to be done in setup and what needs to be passed where. Ideally for a complex module there will be a few examples that address likely use cases of people coming to the module for the first time. They don't have to be complicated, but if they address in a few lines what I might have spent a bunch of time trying to sort through without the module, then they a) show me that the module can address my problem, and b) give me an entry point where I can start building my bigger solution without having to spend a bunch of time just trying to get started.

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Re^2: The problem of documenting complex modules.
by BrowserUk (Patriarch) on Jul 06, 2015 at 09:26 UTC

    Sounds like we are pretty much in accordance. Do you have any specific examples of (somewhat complex) modules you use regularly that either were:

    1. really easy to get started with despite their complexity.
    2. Or really tough to get started with; but you persisted because you needed their functionality.

    With the rise and rise of 'Social' network sites: 'Computers are making people easier to use everyday'
    Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
    "Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
    In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.
    I'm with torvalds on this Agile (and TDD) debunked I told'em LLVM was the way to go. But did they listen!

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