How can you create easy-to-understand OAuth documentation?

1 Know your audience

Before you start writing your OAuth documentation, you need to know who your audience is and what they need to learn. Are they developers who want to integrate OAuth into their applications? Are they users who want to understand how OAuth works and how to grant or revoke permissions? Are they administrators who want to manage OAuth settings and policies? Depending on your audience, you may need to adjust your tone, level of detail, and examples to suit their needs and expectations.

2 Use diagrams and visuals

One of the best ways to illustrate how OAuth works is to use diagrams and visuals that show the interactions between the different actors and components involved in an OAuth flow. For example, you can use a sequence diagram to show the steps and messages exchanged between the client, the authorization server, the resource server, and the user in an authorization code flow. You can also use icons, colors, and labels to highlight the roles and responsibilities of each actor and component. Visuals can help your audience grasp the logic and flow of OAuth more easily than text alone.

3 Explain the terminology and concepts

OAuth has its own terminology and concepts that may not be familiar or intuitive to your audience. For example, you may need to explain what a client, a resource owner, an authorization server, a resource server, a scope, a token, and a grant type are and how they relate to each other. You may also need to explain the differences and similarities between OAuth and other protocols, such as OpenID Connect, SAML, or JWT. You should define and explain these terms and concepts in simple and plain language, and provide examples and analogies to make them more understandable.

4 Provide code samples and scenarios

Another way to make your OAuth documentation more engaging and practical is to provide code samples and scenarios that demonstrate how to implement and use OAuth in real-world situations. For example, you can show how to use a specific programming language or framework to create an OAuth client, request an authorization code, exchange it for an access token, and use it to access a protected resource. You can also show how to handle errors, refresh tokens, and revoke tokens. You should use the

tag to format your code samples and make them easy to read and copy.
###### Follow best practices and standards
Finally, when writing OAuth documentation, as well as technical documentation in general, you should adhere to best practices and standards. This includes using consistent and accurate terminology and spelling, active voice, present tense, and second person. Additionally, you should utilize headings, subheadings, lists, tables, and other formatting elements to organize your documentation. Furthermore, it is important to use clear and concise language without jargon or slang. Hyperlinks, cross-references, and navigation tools can also be used to connect and guide the audience to relevant information. With feedback, testing, and revision you can further improve and update your documentation. By following these tips you can create OAuth documentation that is easy-to-understand and helps the audience learn and use OAuth effectively.
######Here’s what else to consider
This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?