Docs Quickstart Skill
The quickstart is the most important page in any developer docs — it decides whether someone gets a win in five minutes or bounces. This skill writes a tight, copy-paste-able quickstart that takes a dev from install → first working result with the absolute minimum of steps, then points them to what's next.
Required Inputs
Ask for these only if they aren't already provided:
- What it is — the tool/library/API and what a developer uses it for.
- Install & setup — how to install; any key/auth/config needed to start.
- The "hello world" — the smallest meaningful thing it can do (the first win).
- Environment — language(s)/runtime, prerequisites.
- Next steps — where to go deeper (key guides, API reference, examples).
Output Format
Quickstart: [Product]
Get from zero to [first result] in ~5 minutes.
Prerequisites — the short list (versions, account/key) — only what's truly required.
1. Install
# the actual install command(s)
2. Configure / authenticate (only if needed) — the minimal setup, with where to get a key.
3. Your first [result] — the smallest complete, runnable example:
# copy-paste-able code that actually works end to end
4. What you should see — the expected output, so they know it worked.
Next steps — 3–4 links/pointers: the core concept to learn next, the API reference, more examples, how to get help.
Troubleshooting (optional) — the 1–2 most common first-run errors and the fix.
Quality Checks
- A developer can copy-paste their way to a working result — no missing steps
- The first example is the minimal one (one clear win), not a feature tour
- Prerequisites list only what's truly required to start
- Expected output is shown so success is unambiguous
- Next steps point to the right deeper resources
Anti-Patterns
- Do not front-load concepts/architecture — get them to a working result first, explain later
- Do not assume hidden setup — every step needed to run must be present
- Do not show a huge "kitchen sink" example as the first one — minimal win first
- Do not skip the expected output — devs need to confirm it worked
- Do not leave dead-ends — always point to what's next
Based On
Developer documentation practice (the Diátaxis "tutorial" / time-to-first-success quickstart pattern).