Gaucho-Racing Firmware Documentation Discussion

Hey Gaucho-Racing Firmware team,

We've got some exciting documentation needs to tackle, and this is the place to discuss them! High-quality documentation is the backbone of any successful project, especially in a complex domain like firmware development. It ensures that everyone, from seasoned veterans to fresh recruits, can navigate the codebase, understand the architecture, and contribute effectively. Let's break down the key areas where we need to level up our documentation game.

How to Use the Monorepo

Monorepo usage is crucial for our firmware development workflow, guys. It's where all our code lives, and understanding how to navigate it is the first step for anyone joining the project. We need clear, concise documentation that guides users through the monorepo's structure, organization, and tooling. Think of it as a roadmap to our codebase, ensuring no one gets lost in the maze of files and folders. A well-documented monorepo simplifies collaboration, reduces the risk of conflicts, and promotes code reuse across different parts of the project.

First, we should cover the basic structure. Explain the top-level directories and their purposes. What's in firmware? What about hardware or docs? What are the naming conventions we use, and why? This initial overview helps new users get oriented and understand the high-level organization of the project. Next, we need to delve into the tooling. What tools do we use for building, testing, and deploying our firmware? How do users install and configure these tools? Providing step-by-step instructions with screenshots or GIFs can be incredibly helpful, especially for those less familiar with the command line or our specific toolchain. Git workflows are also essential. We should document our branching strategy, pull request process, and how to handle merge conflicts. A clear Git workflow ensures that everyone is on the same page and prevents chaos in the codebase. We could even create a visual diagram of our branching model to make it even easier to grasp. Dependency management is another critical aspect. How do we manage external libraries and dependencies? What tools do we use (e.g., package managers, submodules)? How do users add, update, or remove dependencies? Clear documentation here prevents versioning issues and ensures everyone is using the correct dependencies. Lastly, don't forget the advanced topics. How do we handle large-scale refactoring? What are our guidelines for code style and formatting? How do we contribute back to the monorepo? Covering these advanced topics ensures that the documentation remains relevant as the project evolves and scales. By addressing these aspects, we can create comprehensive monorepo documentation that empowers our team and streamlines our development process. The goal is to make the monorepo feel less like a black box and more like a well-organized toolbox that everyone can use effectively.

How to Start a New Board

Starting a new board can be daunting, but with proper documentation, it becomes a manageable task. This documentation should act as a comprehensive guide, walking developers through each step of the process, from initial setup to final testing. We need to cover everything from hardware selection to software configuration, ensuring that no crucial detail is overlooked. A well-documented board bring-up process accelerates development, reduces errors, and allows us to quickly adapt our firmware to new hardware platforms.

First, let's dive into hardware selection. What are the key considerations when choosing a microcontroller or other components? What are the trade-offs between different options? Providing a checklist or decision tree can help developers make informed choices. We should also document our approved vendor list and any preferred components. Next, we need to address the schematic and board layout. How do we design the schematic for a new board? What are the best practices for board layout? Providing templates or examples of existing board designs can be incredibly helpful. We should also document our design review process and the tools we use for schematic capture and PCB layout. Then comes the firmware setup. How do we create a new project for a new board in our monorepo? What are the necessary configuration files and settings? Providing step-by-step instructions with code snippets can help developers quickly get started. We should also document our build system and how to compile the firmware for the new board. Debugging is inevitable, so we need to cover it thoroughly. How do we connect a debugger to the new board? What tools do we use for debugging (e.g., GDB, J-Link)? How do we troubleshoot common issues like startup problems or memory errors? Providing debugging checklists and troubleshooting guides can save developers hours of frustration. Testing is the final piece of the puzzle. How do we verify that the firmware is working correctly on the new board? What tests should we run? Providing test cases and procedures can ensure that the board meets our quality standards. We should also document our testing infrastructure and any automated testing tools we use. By addressing these aspects, we can create comprehensive documentation for starting a new board. The goal is to empower developers to bring up new hardware platforms quickly and confidently, without getting bogged down in technical details. A well-documented process not only saves time but also ensures consistency and reduces the risk of errors.

How to Access Onboarding Resources

Accessing onboarding resources is critical for new team members to quickly get up to speed. These resources are the gateway to understanding our project, our processes, and our culture. We need a clear, well-defined path for newcomers to follow, ensuring they have everything they need to contribute effectively from day one. Comprehensive onboarding resources not only improve the new team member experience but also accelerate their integration into the team and the project.

First, we should create a centralized onboarding portal. This portal should be a one-stop shop for all onboarding materials, including documentation, videos, tutorials, and FAQs. It should be easy to navigate and search, so newcomers can quickly find what they need. Consider using a wiki or a dedicated onboarding platform to host this portal. Next, we need to develop a structured onboarding plan. This plan should outline the key milestones and tasks for the first few weeks or months. What should new team members learn first? What projects should they work on? Providing a clear roadmap helps them prioritize their efforts and stay on track. We should also assign a mentor to each new team member. A mentor can provide guidance, answer questions, and help them navigate the project and the team. Mentorship programs are invaluable for fostering a sense of belonging and accelerating learning. Then comes the documentation. We need to document everything from our coding standards to our release process. What are our best practices? How do we conduct code reviews? How do we deploy our firmware? Comprehensive documentation ensures that everyone is on the same page and promotes consistency. Hands-on exercises are also crucial. New team members should have opportunities to practice what they've learned. Can we create tutorials or workshops that walk them through common tasks? Practical experience is the best way to solidify understanding. We also need to gather feedback from new team members. What did they find helpful? What was confusing or overwhelming? Regular feedback helps us improve our onboarding process and address any gaps in our resources. Lastly, don't forget the cultural aspects. How do we communicate as a team? What are our values? What are our social activities? Integrating new team members into our culture is just as important as teaching them the technical aspects of the project. By addressing these aspects, we can create comprehensive onboarding resources that empower new team members to quickly become productive members of the team. The goal is to make them feel welcome, supported, and equipped to contribute effectively from the start.

And More...

Of course, there's always more to document. We need to continuously evaluate our documentation needs and identify areas where we can improve. This includes everything from API references to troubleshooting guides, and beyond. Remember, documentation is a living thing – it needs to be updated and maintained to remain relevant and useful. Regular reviews and feedback are key to keeping our documentation fresh and accurate. Think of it as an ongoing conversation, ensuring we're always providing the information our team needs.

We should prioritize documenting our APIs. How do we interact with our different modules and components? What are the input and output parameters for each function? Clear API documentation is essential for code reuse and maintainability. We also need to document our troubleshooting procedures. What are the common issues we encounter? How do we diagnose and fix them? A comprehensive troubleshooting guide can save developers hours of frustration. Then comes our build system. How do we compile, link, and package our firmware? What are the different build targets? Documenting our build system ensures that everyone can build the firmware correctly and consistently. We should also document our testing procedures. What tests do we run? How do we interpret the results? Thorough testing documentation is essential for ensuring the quality and reliability of our firmware. Our release process needs documenting too. How do we create a new release? What are the steps involved? A well-documented release process ensures that releases are predictable and consistent. Don't forget the contribution guidelines. How do external contributors submit patches? What are our code review standards? Clear contribution guidelines encourage community involvement and improve the quality of our code. Documentation is a team effort. We should encourage everyone to contribute to our documentation. Can we create a culture where documentation is valued and rewarded? Make it part of our workflow and celebrate those who go the extra mile to document their work. Also, documentation should be regularly reviewed and updated. What is outdated or inaccurate? What can we improve? Regular reviews ensure that our documentation remains relevant and useful. By addressing these additional areas, we can create a comprehensive documentation ecosystem that supports our entire project. The goal is to make our documentation a valuable resource that empowers our team and our community to build great firmware.

Let's use this space to brainstorm specific documentation tasks, assign owners, and set deadlines. What are your thoughts on the best approach? What tools and formats should we use? Let's make our documentation awesome, guys!