How do you manage version control for systems design documentation?

1 Why version control?

Version control is the practice of tracking and managing changes to a set of files, such as source code, configuration files, or documents. This allows you to store different versions of the same file, compare and merge changes, revert to previous states, and collaborate with other contributors. Version control is essential for systems design documentation, as it enables you to keep track of decisions made, prevents conflicts and duplication of work among team members, maintains a single source of truth for the system specifications, facilitates reviews and feedback from stakeholders, documents and resolves issues and bugs, and supports continuous integration and delivery.

2 How to choose a version control system?

When selecting a version control system for your systems design documentation, there are a number of factors to consider. These include the size and complexity of your system and documentation, the number and location of your team members and collaborators, the frequency and type of changes you need to make to the documentation, the compatibility and integration with other tools and platforms, the security and reliability of the system, and the learning curve and usability of the system. Popular version control systems include Git, Subversion, Mercurial, and Perforce; each has its own set of features, benefits, and drawbacks.

3 How to structure your documentation repository?

A repository is a collection of files and folders managed by a version control system, which can help you organize and access your systems design documentation more easily. To ensure efficient structuring, use a consistent naming convention for files and folders, group related documents into subfolders, separate source files from generated files, and use a standard format for documents. Additionally, include a README file that explains the purpose, scope, and structure of the repository, as well as a LICENSE file specifying copyright and permissions of the documentation.

4 How to write and update your documentation?

Writing and updating your systems design documentation is an ongoing process that requires careful planning, coordination, and communication. Therefore, it is important to define the scope and audience of your documentation, and to follow a consistent style and tone. Additionally, you should use clear and concise language, avoiding jargon and ambiguity. To illustrate your design concepts, diagrams, tables, and examples can be used. Comments and annotations can explain your design choices and assumptions. Branches and tags can be used to manage different versions and stages of your documentation. Commit messages and changelogs should document changes and reasons. Pull requests and code reviews can help solicit and incorporate feedback from others. Automated tools can generate, validate, and publish your documentation.