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Documentation

The document outlines the two main types of documentation for programs: user documentation, which helps users understand how to use the program, and technical documentation, which provides programmers with the necessary technical details. User documentation includes installation instructions, hardware requirements, and error handling, while technical documentation covers the program's purpose, algorithms, and internal code details. Additionally, internal documentation enhances code readability through proper formatting and explanatory comments.

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janellaholmes6
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2 views

Documentation

The document outlines the two main types of documentation for programs: user documentation, which helps users understand how to use the program, and technical documentation, which provides programmers with the necessary technical details. User documentation includes installation instructions, hardware requirements, and error handling, while technical documentation covers the program's purpose, algorithms, and internal code details. Additionally, internal documentation enhances code readability through proper formatting and explanatory comments.

Uploaded by

janellaholmes6
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DOCUMENTATION

Documentation is a written explanation of how the program works and how to use it. There are
two types of documentation; user documentation/manual and technical documentation.

User Documentation/Manual
This documentation is written to explain to the user how to use the program. It is written in plain
English and not in the technical programming language of technical documentation. It includes:
▪ hardware requirements;
▪ how to install the program;
▪ how to run the program,
▪ how to enter data;
▪ what the output looks like;
▪ how to use any menus;
▪ error messages and advice on how to correct them

Technical Documentation
This documentation is for use by the programmer. It includes information on the program itself,
i.e. technical aspects of how it works. Some of the reasons for technical documentation
include:
a) The programmer needs to understand what was written a few weeks or even months
before,
when writing a long term;
b) Extremely large programs are written in teams, where certain teams write particular
sections of the program code. Each team needs to understand what the other teams have
written so that the whole thing can fit together.
c) A program may need modification in time to come.

Technical documentation includes:


- The problem that the program is intended to solve (purpose of the program)
- The algorithm
- The program code/listing with its internal documentation
- Test data and results produced by the program

(4) Internal Documentation


This includes:
- Indentation and spacing – these will assist with the readability of the program, so that
sections of the code such as your control structures can be easily identified.
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- Explanatory remarks – these are comments you would include in the program for
additional explanation of the program lines or listing. e.g. {For loop used to accept
the names of 10 candidates}

- Suitable variable names – choosing variables which can be associated with what is
being stored so that further explanation is not needed.

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