Update Docs

This skill should be used when the user asks to "update documentation for my changes", "check docs for this PR", "what docs need updating", "sync docs with code", "scaffold docs for this feature", "document this feature", "review docs completeness", "add docs for this change", "what documentation is affected", "docs impact", or mentions "docs/", "skills/", "MDX", "documentation update", "API reference", ".md files". Provides guided workflow for updating OpenClaw documentation based on code changes.

OpenClaw Documentation Updater

Guides you through updating OpenClaw documentation based on code changes on the active branch. Designed for maintainers reviewing PRs for documentation completeness.

Quick Start

1. Analyze changes: Run git diff main...HEAD --stat to see what files changed
2. Identify affected docs: Map changed source files to documentation paths
3. Review each doc: Walk through updates with user confirmation
4. Validate: Check formatting and links
5. Commit: Stage documentation changes

Workflow: Analyze Code Changes

Step 1: Get the diff

bash

# See all changed files on this branch
git diff main...HEAD --stat

# See changes in specific areas
git diff main...HEAD -- skills/
git diff main...HEAD -- src/api/

Step 2: Identify documentation-relevant changes

Look for changes in these areas:

Source Path	Likely Doc Impact
skills/	Skill documentation
src/api/	API reference documentation
src/config/	Configuration guides
examples/	Tutorial and example guides
src/core/	Core architecture documentation

Step 3: Map to documentation files

Use the code-to-docs mapping in references/CODE-TO-DOCS-MAPPING.md to find corresponding documentation files.

Example mappings:

• skills/browser-hosting/ → docs/skills/browser-hosting.md
• src/api/browser.ts → docs/api/browser.md
• examples/basic-agent/ → docs/guides/basic-agent.md

Workflow: Update Existing Documentation

Step 1: Read the current documentation

Before making changes, read the existing doc to understand:

• Current structure and sections
• Frontmatter fields in use
• Code examples and their accuracy

Step 2: Identify what needs updating

Common updates include:

• New features/options: Add to reference tables and create sections explaining usage
• Changed behavior: Update descriptions and examples
• Deprecated features: Add deprecation notices and migration guidance
• New examples: Add code blocks following conventions

Step 3: Apply updates with confirmation

For each change:

1. Show the user what you plan to change
2. Wait for confirmation before editing
3. Apply the edit
4. Move to the next change

Step 4: Validate changes

Check documentation for common issues:

• Frontmatter has required fields (title, description)
• Code blocks are properly formatted
• Links point to valid paths
• Spelling and grammar

Workflow: Scaffold New Feature Documentation

Use this when adding documentation for entirely new features.

Step 1: Determine the doc type

Feature Type	Doc Location	Template
New skill	docs/skills/	Skill Reference
New API function	docs/api/	API Reference
New config option	docs/config/	Config Reference
New concept/guide	docs/guides/	Guide
Core architecture	docs/architecture/	Architecture Guide

Step 2: Create the file with proper naming

• Use kebab-case: my-new-feature.md
• Add numeric prefix if ordering matters: 05-my-new-feature.md
• Place in the correct directory based on feature type

Step 3: Use the appropriate template

API Reference Template: See assets/api-reference-template.md

Guide Template: See assets/guide-template.md

Step 4: Add related links

Update frontmatter with related documentation:

yaml

related:
  title: Next Steps
  description: Learn more about related features.
  links:
    - api/browser
    - guides/browser-automation

Documentation Conventions

See references/DOC-CONVENTIONS.md for complete formatting rules.

Quick Reference

Frontmatter (required):

yaml

---
title: Page Title (2-3 words)
description: One or two sentences describing the page.
---

Code blocks:

python

# Python example
code_here()

javascript

// JavaScript example  
code_here();

Notes:

markdown

> **Good to know**: Single line note.

> **Good to know**:
>
> - Multi-line note point 1
> - Multi-line note point 2

Validation Checklist

Before committing documentation changes:

• Frontmatter has title and description
• Code blocks have proper language specification
• Links point to valid paths
• Spelling and grammar are correct
• Examples are tested and working
• Documentation matches current code behavior

References

• references/DOC-CONVENTIONS.md - Complete frontmatter and formatting rules
• references/CODE-TO-DOCS-MAPPING.md - Source code to documentation mapping
• assets/api-reference-template.md - API reference template
• assets/guide-template.md - Guide template