Use case · Updated
Docs that stay in sync with code
Developers forgive missing docs faster than wrong ones. A chatbot that invents a parameter costs an afternoon and some trust. usedocs ties the docs to the code that changes them, so the assistant answers from pages that match what you shipped.
TL;DR
Short answer
Docs that stay in sync with code start from the code: when a pull request merges, the article it affects should change too. usedocs reads merged pull requests and releases and proposes those edits with the diff attached, drafts articles for the questions developers ask that the docs miss, and answers with a link to the source, refusing when it is not sure.
Who this is for
Developer tool, API, and infrastructure companies whose customers are engineers, usually with a small team that writes code, docs, and support replies. Typical shape: a GitHub repository, an OpenAPI file or SDK, a docs site that lags releases, and questions arriving in email, Discord, or GitHub issues.
Problems this solves
- A merged PR renames a parameter and the docs keep the old name for weeks.
- The docs chatbot invents an endpoint or a flag that never existed.
- Developers ask the same integration questions in Discord, and the answers never reach the docs.
- The OpenAPI file is current, but the guides around it are not.
- AI coding tools read your docs and repeat whatever is out of date.
How usedocs works for this job
Import guides and the OpenAPI file Bring guides from your docs URL, GitBook, or Notion, and import an OpenAPI file as articles. Redirects keep old links working.
Connect the product repo usedocs reads merged pull requests and releases and proposes edits to the articles they affect, with the diff and files attached. A scheduled check compares live articles with the code.
Answer with sources Ask AI and the widget answer with a link to the source and refuse when the docs do not cover a question.
Turn questions into docs Unanswered questions, "not helpful" votes, and imported tickets become ranked gaps with drafted articles.
What you get
Edits from merged PRs
Proposed article edits with the change and files as evidence, so review takes a minute.
Scheduled code checks
Every live article is compared with the code, catching drift that never went through a PR.
Answers that refuse to guess
Weak matches get an honest no, so the assistant does not invent parameters.
Docs for AI coding tools
Markdown copies, llms.txt, a Copy page menu, and an MCP server so Cursor and Claude read current docs.
Code blocks done right
Language labels, copy buttons, and heading anchors on every page.
Wire docs into the release
Connect GitHub before your next release. When the release ships, open Doc health: every merged PR that changed documented behavior has a proposed edit waiting, with the diff. Approve the correct ones and adjust the rest. Docs now ship with the code instead of a week later.
Make AI tools read the right docs
Developers paste your docs into ChatGPT and Claude and ask Cursor about your API. Give them current, clean sources: every page has a Markdown version, the help center publishes llms.txt, and the Connect to Cursor button installs your docs as an MCP server. When an article is fixed, every AI tool reading it gets the fix.
Close the Discord loop
Questions answered in Discord or issues help one developer. Import those conversations or tickets, and usedocs groups the repeats into ranked gaps with drafted articles, so the next developer finds the answer in the docs instead of asking again.
Keep reference and guides together
Import the OpenAPI file as articles and link guides to the endpoints they use. When a PR changes an endpoint, the proposed edit lands on the guide that explains it, not only on the reference.
Why teams pick usedocs
- Edits proposed from merged PRs with the diff
- Scheduled checks of live articles against the code
- MCP server, llms.txt, and Markdown copies for AI tools
- OpenAPI import as articles
- Answers that link their sources and refuse when unsure
Not for you if
Skip this if your developer portal is a product in itself, with a dedicated DX team and docs-as-code components you love; keep that portal and use usedocs only for the customer help center if at all. Also skip it if you need code execution or an API playground inside the docs.
FAQ
How do you keep docs in sync with code?
An assistant that answers developers' questions from your technical docs, ideally with sources and without inventing APIs.
How does usedocs keep developer docs in sync with code?
It reads merged pull requests and releases, proposes edits to affected articles with the change attached, and checks live articles against the code on a schedule.
Does usedocs support OpenAPI?
Yes. Import an OpenAPI file and usedocs creates articles from it.
Can Cursor or Claude use our docs?
Yes. Every help center offers an MCP install for Cursor, Markdown copies of every page, and llms.txt.
Does usedocs open PRs against a docs repo?
Drafts can be published to a docs folder in your GitHub repository; edits to hosted articles are approved in usedocs.
Will the assistant make up parameters?
It answers only from your articles, links the source, and refuses when the match is weak.
Can some docs stay private?
Yes. Make the help center private, or limit collections to signed-in readers with magic links, a shared password, or a token from your app.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. A 7 day Growth trial with no card, then one plan at $99 a month.
Can we import questions from Discord or GitHub issues?
Import tickets from your helpdesk or a CSV export of those conversations, and usedocs groups the repeats into ranked gaps with drafted articles.