Why Docusaurus Instead of Microsoft Word?

You might be wondering: "Why can't I just use Microsoft Word or Google Docs?" Here's why modern software projects use tools like Docusaurus:

Docusaurus is a lightweight, open-source website builder that uses React to build comprehensive web pages for your documentation. You don't need to know React, JavaScript, CSS, or HTML to use it.

Key benefits for you:

Markdown Simplicity: Write in markdown and get a professional website automatically.
All-in-One Place: Your documentation lives right alongside your source code in Git, making it easy to update and version together.
Zero Setup & Live Preview: Docusaurus is already configured—just edit and see changes instantly with the development server.
Professional Hosting: Your docs become a searchable, accessible website hosted free on GitHub Pages, with a permanent URL you can share.
GitHub Codespaces Integration: You can even edit your documentation entirely in the cloud using GitHub Codespaces - no local installation required. You could literally work on this documentation from an iPad!

Blastpad Example — Project BlastPad Spring 2024

Why Documentation Matters

Now that you understand the tool, here's why documentation itself is critical for software projects:

When you're researching tools for your projects, you're more likely to use the one that has good documentation and an active community. If you see a project on GitHub with no README file, you probably skip it because you don't know where to start.

Large companies expect you to document your code so that:

Management can add more team members when necessary
The codebase can be maintained 20 years down the road
New developers can onboard quickly
Knowledge isn't lost when team members leave

For companies and open-source communities alike, documentation ensures:

Team scalability and onboarding
Long-term maintainability of the codebase
Clear communication of the project's purpose and functionality

Why Documentation Matters​

Why Documentation Matters