Top 10 Keys to Reviewing Technical Content

Teach the Reader Something Useful

If you’ve ever spent time learning something challenging, you know those “aha!” moments were what kept you going. That’s what we’re aiming for here.

The best content for software developers educates them. Start articles by telling the reader what valuable thing they will learn in exchange for their time, then commit to overdelivering on that promise. Educating developers is a great way to build trust, but it’s critical that you educate them on something novel and useful to them.

Write a Meaningful Introduction

Your introduction is your only chance to hook a reader. Make it count! Here’s what to include:

• A clear statement of what the reader will learn
• Links to niche concepts (don’t assume everyone knows everything)
• A quick rundown of prerequisites

Whether it’s setting up the development environment before diving into code or explaining why the concept is useful, a good introduction gives the reader an idea of what they’re getting into.

Validate Code Samples

This one’s crucial. As a reviewer, you’ve got to roll up your sleeves and actually follow the tutorial. Make sure every code sample does exactly what it claims to do. It’s like unit testing – if the code doesn’t pass, the article doesn’t ship.

Ensure Samples Should Follow Best Practices

Poor code quality often leads to a reader developing a negative opinion of your brand. You don’t want to invest the time or money into creating content that attracts readers only for them to immediately assign a poor reputation to your site.

Run code samples through a linter, just like many developers would for a real production application. Clean, well-formatted code not only looks professional but also teaches good habits to your readers.

Code Dependencies Should be Up to Date

Using outdated versions of dependencies in tutorials is a huge red flag for developers. If the current Ruby version is 3.2, don’t use Ruby 2.7. Outdated dependencies signal to developers to question if the whole tutorial is still relevant.

Great Content Needs Great Links

All content on your site should use great links. Here are some things to look for:

• Link to a reliable source when introducing new concepts
• Use descriptive anchor text that tells the reader what information is on the other side of a link
• Ensure all links are valid
• Ensure all links lead to authoritative sources

Deliver Value as Quickly as Possible

To write the best technical content, grab your readers’ attention early and promise them something valuable if they stick around. Then, overdeliver on the promise. Developers not only remember great tutorials that teach them something helpful but are likely to share them with peers.

Use Screenshots to Keep Readers Engaged

Screenshots are your secret weapon against the rising tide of AI-generated content. They make your article clearer, easier to follow, and sometimes they’re the best way to explain a complex concept. Plus, they break up the text and keep things visually interesting for the reader.

Have a Working Demo Project

Educational content for developers is most engaging and helpful when associated with plenty of code samples and a non-trivial project. Articles that intend to teach a software engineer something should sprinkle code samples throughout the article that walk the user through creating a complete project. Don’t forget to link to the completed project at the end of the article!

Ensure Educational Content is Clear

As a reviewer, put yourself in the reader’s shoes. If you have to Google something, the article probably needs more explanation or links. Strike a balance between depth and accessibility. If you find yourself going down a rabbit hole on a tangential topic, consider making it a separate article and just link to it for now.

Conclusion

By following these guidelines, you’ll create articles that are not just informative, but engaging and trustworthy. These are part of our review checklist at SyntaxPen, so if you’d like an extra hand reviewing technical content, reach out!

This post was originally written as a resource on SyntaxPen’s website!