What Is Software Documentation?
Remember, docs or it didn’t happen. Software documentation is any written document that explains how a piece of software works, why it was built, and how it is intended to be used. Depending on the complexity of your software, your documentation can contain information on the general use of the product and in-depth dives into functions and features.
Software documentation, according to Daniele Procida, can be divided into four categories:
- Learning-oriented tutorials
- Goal-oriented how-to guides
- Understanding-oriented discussions
- Information-oriented reference material
You need all these types of documentation to provide comprehensive instructions for your software product.
1. Document360
We’ll start with our own Document360. Document360 is our very own knowledge base solution which is perfect for creating user manuals . It offers an advanced portal for content producers with a state-of-the-art editor, category manager , and more. You can create up to six levels of categories and subcategories for your content which can easily be rearranged using the drag-and-drop UI.
The Markdown editor lets you focus on writing text-heavy documents but there is also a WYSIWYG editor for those who prefer that functionality. Both editors allow you to add links, images, videos, callouts, code blocks, and more. Never lose your work with Document360’s version history which allows you to roll back to a previous version.
Document360 comes with advanced analytics that allows you to learn where your knowledge base traffic is coming from, what your visitors are looking for and how they’re interacting with your content. Document360 also integrates with a large number of popular apps, including ticketing systems like Zendesk and Freshdesk, live chat software like Intercom and Drift, as well as analytics tools such as Google Analytics and Segment.
Document360’s startup plan costs $99 per project per month.
Documenting, storing, and sharing technical manuals made easy.
2. Nuclino
is a good way to organize information within teams into workspaces. You can use Nuclino to create beautiful software documentation for your employees or your customers. Workspaces can be public or private. You can bring your content to life with text, images, videos, files, tasks, embeds, code blocks, and more. Write your content even faster with Markdown or use the WYSIWYG editor.
You can collaborate in real-time so you can see the changes your team members are making as they type, which means there’s no risk of version conflicts. You can type @ inside an item to link to another page in the knowledge base and use workspaces and clusters to organize items.
There’s a powerful search bar that you can type into to find relevant content. Work visually by organizing your team’s content into boards and graphs. Nuclino integrates with a large number of apps including Slack, Google Drive, Dropbox and more.
Nuclino’s standard plan costs $5 per monthly user.
Pros
- Straightforward organization that helps users find the content they’re looking for.
- Documents can be edited simultaneously, reducing the risk of version conflicts.
Cons
- Lack of formatting options for content.
- No ability to control access at the article level, only at the workspace level.
3. GitHub
If you’re working in the software development world then it’s highly likely you’ll have used GitHub . It’s a popular platform with developers and a solid choice you can use for hosting your web-based documentation.
You have a choice between using the main GitHub platform wiki section or you can use GitHub Pages, which allows you one free page, hosting, and a custom domain. You can combine GitHub Pages with Jekyll to create modern and appealing documentation sites.
GitHub is free to use if your repositories are public.
Pros
- It can be appealing to use GitHub if you already use the software development platform.
- It’s a free platform for hosting your repositories if you choose the basic plan.
Cons
- Requires development skills to use and maintain. May not be accessible for all members of your team.
4. MarkdownPad
MarkdownPad is a well-known Markdown editor for Windows. MarkdownPad offers instant HTML previews so you can view your documentation as you write it. It’s simple and as easy to use as Microsoft Word and comes with a WYSIWYG editor so you don’t even need to know Markdown to use the software.
You can use extensive customization options such as layouts, fonts, and sizes. You can also include your own custom CSS style sheets. It has a CSS editor built into the platform so you can style your text to your heart’s content.
MarkdownPad is free for the basic plan or $14.95 USD for MarkdownPad Pro.
Pros
- Free on the basic plan.
- Allows your team to write stunning documentation in Markdown.
Cons
- MarkdownPad doesn’t have cloud features so you won’t be able to share your docs.
- MarkdownPad is only available on Windows.
Documenting, storing, and sharing technical manuals made easy.
5. ProProfs
knowledge base software is one of the best online documentation tools that enables you to create software documentation right out of the box. ProProfs allows you to create both public and private knowledge bases, from end user-facing documentation to internal employee software docs. You can drag and drop content and categories.
You can control the article status to let your team know what’s going on with your content. You can easily customize your knowledge base from within the settings, including changing the theme, adding a favicon, updating the logo, and so on.
One of the big advantages of ProProfs knowledge base is you can integrate it with their live chat and help desk software for a more unified support experience. ProProfs also integrates with Google Analytics, Zendesk, Freshdesk, and Desk so you can link your existing support software stack with your knowledge base.
ProProfs’s essential plan costs $30 per month.
Pros
- Easy writing and publishing process means it’s a breeze to get started.
- Allows you to set different roles for the content publishing – writer, editor and administrator.
Cons
- Integrations could be more powerful.
- The navigation is a little confusing.
Also Read: Top 7 ProProfs Knowledge Base Alternatives in 2022
6. Read the Docs
Read the Docs comes with two versions – Read the Docs for open source and Read the Docs for Business. If you’re looking to invest in
tools then we suggest you go with the latter.
Read the Docs for Business simplifies the entire process of building and deploying developer documentation. With support for Sphinx and Mkdocs, you can integrate your code and user-facing documentation using the same tools. Create beautiful documentation easily with themes, and preview every commit with Pull Request previews.
Read the Docs for Business starts at $50 USD per month.
Pros
- The ability to write your docs alongside your software using the same tools.
- Documentation can be public or private.
Cons
- Requires developer resources to use and maintain.
What Exactly are Bit.ai Integrations?
Bit.ai integrates with over 100+ popular applications to help teams weave information in their documents – beyond text and images. On Bit.ai, you can embed any sort of digital content and enrich your Bit documents, be it videos, social content, cloud files, surveys/polls, presentations, and more.
Just add any web link on any blank line of your Bit document and hit enter. Bit will automatically generate a live preview of your rich media, right there in your document. That means you won’t have to spend hours jumping from one platform to another to find and share the right information.
The result? A document that’s more informative, engaging, and easier to negative! This would ultimately lead to better collaboration, increased productivity, and a consistent experience. Now let’s get to what you came for: the best Bit.ai integrations you can use to strengthen your workflow.
List of The Best Bit.ai Integrations You Can Use
1. YouTube
A free video-sharing platform, YouTube allows users to watch videos, upload their own, and interact with other users from around the globe. One reason why YouTube is extremely popular is the number of videos that you can find. 100 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, so you’ll never run out of things to watch.
Here’s how you can embed YouTube videos in a Bit document
2. Google Sheets
Google Sheets is a free, cloud-based spreadsheet tool that allows you to create, edit and collaborate on spreadsheets. That’s not it! Google Sheets also allows you to present your data in a visually appealing manner using charts and graphs. It comes with built-in formulas, pivot tables, multiple formatting options, and more.
Here’s how you can embed Google Sheets on a Bit document:
3. OneDrive Excel
OneDrive is a cloud storage service by Microsoft that allows users to store all their files – documents, images, videos, and more. One Drive Excel is a cloud-based spreadsheet builder. The best part? You can access the spreadsheets you create from any device, anywhere in the world.
Here’s how you can embed a OneDrive Excel Spreadsheet on a Bit document in 5 easy steps:
1. Open up your OneDrive Excel Spreadsheet and click the more button on the top right corner.
2. Create & copy your shareable link.
3. Go to Bit.ai and paste the OneDrive Excel Spreadsheet weblink on a blank line and hit enter.
4. Bit will automatically fetch the OneDrive Excel Spreadsheet and display it like this.
4. Google Forms
Google Forms allows you to create, share and analyze surveys! While creating your surveys, you can choose between different options, such as text-field information, answer interfaces, multiple-choice questions, and more. All the survey responses are directly saved to a Google Spreadsheet that you can view anytime!
Here’s how you can embed Google Forms on a Bit document:
5. Typeform
Typeform is another survey tool that helps you create modern interactive surveys, contests, forms, product feedback, quizzes, and more! What’s more? It lets you choose from various Q&A options such as multiple-choice page questions, text-field, drop-down, and more.
Here’s how you can embed Typeform on a Bit document in 5 easy steps!
6. Airtable
Airtable is used for creating and sharing relational databases, and it’s super easy to use. Its user interface is straightforward and intuitive, allowing anyone to create a database in minutes. On Airtable, you can store, manage, and collaborate on employee directories, product inventory, and much more!
Here’s how you can embed an Airtable database on a Bit document:
7. Github
GitHub is a rapidly growing programming resource that’s used for sharing codes. It’s basically a social networking site for programmers that’s used by many organizations to facilitate project management. In 2020, it had over 60 million new repositories and over 56 million total developers.
Here’s how you can embed Github Gists on a Bit document:
8. Loom
Loom is a video messaging platform that allows you to quickly get your message across through videos. You can record your camera, microphone, and desktop all at once using Loom. Then, through Loom’s proprietary technology, your video is available to share right away.
Here’s how you can embed Loom videos on a Bit document:
9. Google Slides
Google Slides is a cloud-based presentation tool that allows you to create presentations. As this tool is cloud-based, you can access it from anywhere in the world. Google Slides also supports real-time editing and collaboration, making it a great choice for all the project teams!
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