Documentation that gets read, not just referenced.
Most protocol documentation is static and gets skimmed at best. Interactive documentation lets consumers explore field behavior directly, reducing misreads and support tickets.
Core principles
Field-level precision
Every field should have an exact definition — offset, length, data type, valid range. Not 'usually big-endian' but 'byte 0 is most significant'.
Context over prose
Instead of explaining a field in a paragraph, let consumers see the field in context — adjacent fields, relationships, constraints.
Valid examples
Show what valid payloads look like, not just what the spec says. One good example prevents more questions than a page of prose.
Sandbox access
Let consumers test payloads against the actual protocol before building. They catch issues, not you.
What to avoid
- Documenting fields with ambiguous descriptions like 'usually' or 'typically'
- Describing byte layouts in prose instead of exact positions
- Providing example payloads that only show the happy path
- Documentation that exists separately from the protocol definition
Build interactive documentation today
Start by defining your protocol structure and see how OptiByte generates documentation that actually gets used.