Do I Need to Know How to Write Code to Become a Tech Writer?

There is no simple answer to whether you need to know how to write code to become a tech writer. However, understanding the basics can certainly enhance your skills and open up new opportunities. I have been a technical writer for 25 years without knowing how to code, but I am currently researching the basics to expand my knowledge base. In this article, I will explore how coding skills can benefit tech writers, especially when documenting software.

Benefits of Coding Skills for Tech Writers

Knowing how to code is particularly useful when documenting software. For instance:

Identifying Problems and Defining Causes: When learning about the software, you will often encounter issues. Having coding knowledge is crucial for discerning whether the problem stems from a code bug, a design flaw, or an issue with the environment. This knowledge is essential for documenting features and reporting bugs effectively. Enhancing Testing Capabilities: A technical writer with coding skills can perform alpha testing, which is both rewarding and informative. This experience provides a unique perspective on the software and can be a delightful activity. Leveraging Coding Skills for Documentation: With coding abilities, you can extract important information directly from the code, such as a complete list of all methods in a class or a list of all URLs in a specific context. This self-reliance can save time and eliminate the need to request information from developers.

However, it is essential to maintain a balance. While you can benefit from reading code to understand its functionality, diving too deep into technical details can be overwhelming and counterproductive.

Relevance of Coding Skills in Technical Writing

Technical writing encompasses a wide range of areas beyond software development, so coding skills may not be directly relevant to the documentation of products or processes in other domains. Within software development, coding skills are not always necessary, but understanding basic programming concepts is important for communicating effectively with developers.

While it is the subject matter experts' job to code, knowing how to read and understand code can be invaluable. It can help you identify classes and methods, write sample code, and communicate technical information to a wider audience. This ability can open up new opportunities, such as writing API documentation, which can be lucrative.

Conclusion

In summary, while knowledge of coding is not mandatory for a tech writer, it can certainly enhance your skills and contribute to your success. Whether you need to know how to write code depends on the specific industry and the nature of the documentation you are working on. By understanding the basics, you can develop a more comprehensive skill set and improve your ability to communicate technical information effectively.