Documentation Rules
This document outlines the standards and conventions for maintaining consistent documentation across all projects.
File Naming Conventions
Directory Structure
docs/
├── casper/ # Internal team documentation
│ └── _category_.json
├── [project-name]/ # Project-specific docs (kebab-case)
│ ├── _category_.json
│ ├── 0000-prospecting/ # Phase directories with numeric prefix
│ │ ├── _category_.json
│ │ ├── 0000-[topic].md
│ │ ├── 0001-[topic].md
│ │ └── ...
│ ├── 0001-discovery/
│ ├── 0002-design/
│ ├── 0003-engineering/
│ └── 1000-transcripts/ # Supporting materials (high number prefix)
File Naming Rules
| Element | Convention | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Directories | NNNN-phase-name (kebab-case) | 0000-prospecting, 1000-transcripts |
| Documents | NNNN-topic-name.md (kebab-case) | 0001-proposal-review.md |
| Category files | _category_.json | Always lowercase with underscores |
Numeric Prefixes
- 0000-0999: Primary project phases (ordered chronologically)
- 1000-9999: Supporting materials, transcripts, appendices
Frontmatter Requirements
Every markdown file must include YAML frontmatter with the following fields:
---
title: "Document Title"
sidebar_position: 0
sidebar_label: "Sidebar Label"
description: "A concise description of the document content (50-160 characters ideal)."
---
Field Guidelines
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
title | ✅ Yes | Full document title, displayed as page title |
sidebar_position | ✅ Yes | Integer matching the file's numeric prefix |
sidebar_label | ✅ Yes | Short label for sidebar navigation |
description | ✅ Yes | SEO-friendly summary (appears in link previews) |
Examples
Meeting Summary:
---
title: Prospect Call
sidebar_position: 0
sidebar_label: Prospect Call
description: "Initial discovery call discussing mobile app requirements, feature scope, and project timeline."
---
Transcript:
---
title: "Transcript: Prospect Call"
sidebar_position: 0
sidebar_label: "Prospect Call"
description: "Full transcript of the initial prospect call on January 15th, 2026."
---
Research Document:
---
title: Website Discovery
sidebar_position: 2
sidebar_label: Website Discovery
description: "Research on company services, technology stack, and digital presence."
---
Category Configuration
Each directory must contain a _category_.json file:
{
"label": "Phase Name",
"position": 0,
"link": {
"type": "generated-index",
"title": "Phase Name",
"description": "Brief description of what this phase contains.",
"slug": "/project-name/phase-name"
}
}
Category Position Guidelines
| Phase | Position | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Prospecting | 0 | Initial outreach, calls, proposals |
| Discovery | 1 | Research, requirements gathering |
| Design | 2 | UI/UX design, visual blueprints |
| Engineering | 3 | Technical implementation |
| Transcripts | 1000 | Full meeting transcripts |
Document Structure
Meeting Summaries
Meeting summaries should follow this structure:
# [Meeting Title]
**Meeting Date:** [Month Day, Year]
**Attendees:** [Name 1], [Name 2], [Name 3]
---
[Optional: Embedded video/recording]
---
## Summary
| Area | Details |
|------|---------|
| **Topic 1** | Key point about topic 1 |
| **Topic 2** | Key point about topic 2 |
---
## Notes
### Section Heading
Detailed notes organized by topic...
- Bullet point with **bold emphasis** for key terms
- Supporting details and context
---
## Action Items
| Assignee | Action | Reference |
|----------|--------|-----------|
| **Name** | Action description | Timestamp or section |
---
## Resources
📝 **[Full Transcript](../1000-transcripts/NNNN-document-name.md)**
Transcript Documents
Transcripts should follow this structure:
# [Meeting Title] Transcript
**Meeting Date:** [Month Day, Year] - [Time]
**Attendees:** [Name 1], [Name 2], [Name 3]
---
**Speaker Name** *[MM:SS]*: Transcript content...
Research Documents
Research documents should include:
- Executive Summary - Brief overview
- Key Sections - Organized by topic with tables where appropriate
- Observations - Analysis and insights
- Generated Date - When the research was compiled
Linking Conventions
Internal Links
Use relative paths for internal document links:
<!-- From 0000-prospecting/0000-prospect-call.md to transcript -->
📝 **[Full Transcript](../1000-transcripts/0000-prospect-call.md)**
<!-- From any doc to another in same directory -->
See [Related Topic](./0001-related-topic.md)
<!-- From any doc to another phase -->
See [Discovery Overview](../0001-discovery/0000-overview.md)
Link Path Rules
| From → To | Path Format |
|---|---|
| Same directory | ./NNNN-file.md |
| Sibling directory | ../NNNN-directory/NNNN-file.md |
| Child directory | ./NNNN-directory/NNNN-file.md |
Formatting Guidelines
Text Formatting
| Element | Syntax | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | **text** | Key terms, names, emphasis |
| Italic | *text* | Quotes, timestamps, secondary emphasis |
Code | `text` | Technical terms, file names, commands |
Tables
Use tables for structured data:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|----------|----------|----------|
| Data 1 | Data 2 | Data 3 |
Horizontal Rules
Use --- to separate major sections.
Blockquotes
Use for company information or key quotes:
> **Company:** Company Name
> **Website:** [www.example.com](https://www.example.com)
> **Tagline:** *"Company tagline here"*
Quality Checklist
Before committing documentation:
- Frontmatter is complete with all required fields
-
sidebar_positionmatches the file's numeric prefix - All internal links use correct relative paths
- Meeting summaries include date, attendees, and transcript link
- Tables are properly formatted
- Category
_category_.jsonexists in each directory - Document follows the appropriate template structure
Last Updated: January 2026