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assets/scss/work/mastodon/index.scss
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@ -126,16 +126,62 @@
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@ -171,8 +217,10 @@
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@ -188,4 +236,114 @@
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content/work/mastodon/index.html
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@ -16,27 +16,43 @@ cover: "/images/mastodocs.jpg"
<header class="page-header section">
<div class="container">
<img src="/icons/mastodon.png" alt="">
<h1 class="page-title">I reorganized and rewrote the docs for an open-source project with millions of users.</h1>
<h1 class="page-title">I reorganized and rewrote the docs for an open-source project with millions of users.
</h1>
</div>
</header>
<section class="section" id="about">
<div class="container">
<h2 class="title">About the client</h2>
<p class="blurb"><a href="https://joinmastodon.org" target="_blank">Mastodon</a> is a free and libre open-source software project that aims to let anyone easily host their own Twitter-like social media website. Started in 2016, the project has since grown due to various migrations, usually spurred by the failures and mistakes of the dominant, centralized social platforms.</p>
<p class="blurb">I have been using Mastodon since November 2016 -- you can <a href="https://mastodon.social/@trwnh" target="_blank">view my profile at mastodon.social/@trwnh</a> if you would like -- and I have grown to quite enjoy my experience there over the years. It reminds me a lot of the early days of Twitter... before <a href="/blog/twitter-not-social" target="_blank">they gave up on being a social network</a>, anyway.</p>
<p class="blurb">One of the things I love most about the culture on there is that it's very much focused on people rather than content or engagement. This significantly lowers social friction and makes everyone more or less approachable. So approachable, in fact, that I could casually reply to the creator and founder of Mastodon and get this gig out of nowhere:</p>
<p><a href="https://joinmastodon.org" target="_blank">Mastodon</a> is a free and libre open-source software
project that aims to let anyone easily host their own Twitter-like social media website. Started in 2016,
the project has since grown due to various migrations, usually spurred by the failures and mistakes of the
dominant, centralized social platforms.</p>
<p>I have been using Mastodon since November 2016 -- you can <a href="https://mastodon.social/@trwnh"
target="_blank">view my profile at mastodon.social/@trwnh</a> if you would like -- and I have grown to
quite enjoy my experience there over the years. It reminds me a lot of the early days of Twitter... before
<a href="/blog/twitter-not-social" target="_blank">they gave up on being a social network</a>, anyway.</p>
<p>One of the things I love most about the culture on there is that it's very much focused on people rather
than content or engagement. This significantly lowers social friction and makes everyone more or less
approachable. So approachable, in fact, that I could casually reply to the creator and founder of Mastodon
and get this gig out of nowhere:</p>
<div class="conversation">
<iframe src="https://mastodon.social/@Gargron/102640868158739158/embed" class="mastodon-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0" width="400" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><script src="https://mastodon.social/embed.js" async="async"></script>
<iframe src="https://mastodon.social/@Gargron/102640868158739158/embed" class="mastodon-embed"
style="max-width: 100%; border: 0" width="400" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<script src="https://mastodon.social/embed.js" async="async"></script>
<iframe src="https://mastodon.social/@trwnh/102640952580526770/embed" class="mastodon-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0" width="400" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><script src="https://mastodon.social/embed.js" async="async"></script>
<iframe src="https://mastodon.social/@trwnh/102640952580526770/embed" class="mastodon-embed"
style="max-width: 100%; border: 0" width="400" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<script src="https://mastodon.social/embed.js" async="async"></script>
<iframe src="https://mastodon.social/@Gargron/102641022258942590/embed" class="mastodon-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0" width="400" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><script src="https://mastodon.social/embed.js" async="async"></script>
<iframe src="https://mastodon.social/@Gargron/102641022258942590/embed" class="mastodon-embed"
style="max-width: 100%; border: 0" width="400" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<script src="https://mastodon.social/embed.js" async="async"></script>
</div>
<p class="blurb">So... yeah, that's how this all happened.</p>
<p>So... yeah, that's how this all happened.</p>
</div>
</section>
<section class="section" id="overview">
@ -44,11 +60,11 @@ cover: "/images/mastodocs.jpg"
<h2 class="title">So, what did all this entail?</h2>
<section id="ia">
<h3 class="subtitle">Information Architecture</h3>
<p class="blurb"></p>
<p></p>
</section>
<section id="writing">
<h3 class="subtitle">Documentation Writing</h3>
<p class="blurb"></p>
<p></p>
</section>
</div>
</section>
@ -68,9 +84,33 @@ cover: "/images/mastodocs.jpg"
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<p class="blurb">Many of the pages in the old user guide did not actually deal with teaching people how to use Mastodon, so the content within them was reworked into a more general landing page that explained the benefits of Mastodon. This new landing page explains the basics of microblogging and federation, before moving into the practical implications that these decisions have for user freedom, privacy, and safety. Select quotations were included from previously published promotional material on the Mastodon blog.</p>
<p>Many of the pages in the old user guide did not actually deal with teaching people how to use Mastodon,
so the content within them was reworked into a more general landing page that explained the benefits of
Mastodon. This new landing page explains the basics of microblogging and federation, before moving into
the practical implications that these decisions have for user freedom, privacy, and safety. Select
quotations were included from previously published promotional material on the Mastodon blog.</p>
<p class="blurb">After this, an entirely new user guide was outlined from scratch, covering the user life cycle from start to end (or new beginning).</p>
<div class="structure">
<div class="new card">
<h4 class="card__head">What is Mastodon?</h4>
<ul class="card__body">
<li>What is a microblog?</li>
<li>What is federation?</li>
<li>What is ActivityPub?</li>
<li>Practical implications</li>
<ul>
<li>Choice of server provider and policy</li>
<li>Funding and monetization</li>
<li>Interoperability between different software</li>
<li>Free/libre software</li>
</ul>
<li>Choose your path</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<p>After this, an entirely new user guide was outlined from scratch, covering the user life cycle from start
to end (or new beginning).</p>
<div class="structure">
<div class="new card">
@ -90,6 +130,12 @@ cover: "/images/mastodocs.jpg"
</div>
</div>
<p>
With the information architecture phase done, writing the user guide was a straightforward task.
Explanations of each feature and setting were added to the appropriate pages, as well as screenshots
demonstrating proper usage. Tip boxes are included throughout in order to highlight important points.
</p>
</section>
<section id="admin">
<h3 class="subtitle">A more expressive admin guide</h3>
@ -125,10 +171,12 @@ cover: "/images/mastodocs.jpg"
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<p class="blurb">This section was mostly straightened out already, but could still use some improvements. A pre-installation page was split out from the old installation page. Backup instructions were moved out of "Optional features" and into a dedicated page. Pages were added for moderation and CLI usage.</p>
<p>This section was mostly straightened out already, but could still use some improvements. A
pre-installation page was split out from the old installation page. Backup instructions were moved out of
"Optional features" and into a dedicated page. Pages were added for moderation and CLI usage.</p>
</section>
<section id="dev">
<h3 class="subtitle">Giving developers actually useful information</h3>
<h3 class="subtitle">Giving developers more complete documentation</h3>
<div class="structure">
<div class="old card">
<h4 class="card__head">Development guide</h4>
@ -138,6 +186,15 @@ cover: "/images/mastodocs.jpg"
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<p>The old "overview" page contained a mixture of information about setting up a dev environment, libraries
used, code structure, and useful commands to run for testing.</p>
<p>The first step in cleaning this up was to split this page into multiple discrete pages, each with its own
purpose. As "development" is a vague term, two new sections were created to replace it: one for client
development (merged with API), and one for server development. The old "overview" pages were nested under
the server development section, as they dealt primarily with server development.</p>
<p>Next, "ActivityPub compliance" was moved into a dedicated section for spec compliance, and pages were
created for documenting how various significant specifications were used and implemented within Mastodon.
</p>
<div class="structure">
<div class="new card">
<h4 class="card__head">Contributing to Mastodon</h4>
@ -159,131 +216,178 @@ cover: "/images/mastodocs.jpg"
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<p>
While the basics of ActivityPub federation were already written, the format of the old document simply
pointed toward the server-to-server spec, as well as HTTP Signatures and Linked Data Signatures (with no
real explanation beyond that). Therefore, I rewrote this page into multiple separate pages, each
detailing the spec in question. The "ActivityPub" page now covers status federation and profile
federation, the properties and types used in each, HTML payload sanitization, namespacing, and extensions
(with sample payloads). "WebFinger" explains what, why, and how to use WebFinger for actor URI
resolution. "Security" explains HTTP and LD signatures. "Microformats" explains the use of Microformats
2.0 and how they may be parsed, and "OAuth" covers the endpoints and flows implemented within Mastodon
for obtaining a token.
</p>
</section>
<section id="api">
<h3 class="subtitle">Helping client apps use the API</h3>
<div class="structure">
<div class="old card">
<h4 class="card__head">API Overview</h4>
<ul class="card__body">
<li>Guidelines</li>
<li>Libraries</li>
<li>Authentication</li>
<li>Permissions</li>
<li>Entities</li>
<li>Parameters</li>
<li>Streaming API</li>
<li>Web Push API</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="old card">
<h4 class="card__head">REST API</h4>
<ul class="card__body">
<li>Accounts</li>
<li>Apps</li>
<li>...</li>
<li>Timelines</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<p>This was the majority of the work. Mastodon's REST API documentation was really messy, and it showed.
Finding something generally entailed flipping back and forth between multiple pages and searching within
them, and each page was very long.</p>
<p>The first step was to promote methods and entities into their own sections. The "Entities" page was split
into multiple pages, one per entity, and alphabetized. Tables were converted into headings, to allow for
providing more information about each field.</p>
<p>Methods were grouped by namespace rather than by feature-set, and with one level of nesting depending on
whether the methods within pertained to accounts, statuses, timelines, notifications, etc. The pages for
the Streaming and Web Push APIs were moved out of the overview section and into the methods section.</p>
<p>Finally, a new section was created for a client development guide. The guide would cover the basics of
REST API, how to make requests, how responses are structured, and authentication/authorization.</p>
<div class="structure new">
<div class="new card">
<h4 class="card__head">Developing Mastodon Apps</h4>
<ul class="card__body">
<li>Getting started with the API</li>
<li>Playing with public data</li>
<li>Obtaining client app access</li>
<li>Logging in with an account</li>
<li>Guidelines and best practices</li>
<li>Libraries and implementations</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="new card">
<h4 class="card__head">REST API</h4>
<ul class="card__body">
<li>OAuth Scopes</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="new card methods">
<h4 class="card__head">API Methods</h4>
<ul class="card__body">
<li>apps</li>
<ul>
<li>oauth</li>
</ul>
<li>accounts</li>
<ul>
<li>bookmarks</li>
<li>favourites</li>
<li>...</li>
</ul>
<li>statuses</li>
<ul>
<li>media</li>
<li>...</li>
</ul>
<li>timelines</li>
<ul>
<li>conversations</li>
<li>...</li>
<li>streaming</li>
</ul>
<li>notifications</li>
<ul>
<li>push</li>
</ul>
<li>search</li>
<li>instance</li>
<ul>
<li>trends</li>
<li>directory</li>
<li>custom_emoji</li>
</ul>
<li>admin</li>
<li>proofs</li>
<li>oembed</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="new card entities">
<h4 class="card__head">API Entities</h4>
<ul class="card__body">
<li>Account</li>
<li>Activity</li>
<li>Admin::Account</li>
<li>Admin::Report</li>
<li>...</li>
<li>Status</li>
<li>Tag</li>
<li>Token</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<p>Writing this section taught me a lot about the basics of REST APIs, understanding HTTP requests and
responses, providing parameters, and how OAuth works -- all information that I included in the client
development guide.</p>
<p>While documenting the REST API, I had to consult the Ruby on Rails routing config file extensively, so I
took it as an opportunity to write a page about how routes work and how to read the routes file.</p>
</section>
</div>
</section>
<section class="section" id="outcomes">
<div class="container">
<h2 class="title">The results were very much appreciated.</h2>
<blockquote class="praise">
bless you for being here to work on the docs btw it's a big relief
</blockquote>
<div class="attribution">
<img src="/images/gargron.jpg" alt="Gargron's avatar">
<cite><em>Eugen "Gargron" Rochko</em><br>Mastodon founder<br>& lead developer</cite>
</div>
<h3 class="subtitle">There was much less missing information.</h3>
<p>During the information architecture phase, a new skeleton was created as a proposed alternative structure.
This process made the existing gaps in the old structure more obvious, and therefore those gaps could be
filled during the technical writing phase.</p>
<h3 class="subtitle">It was also easier to make additions in an appropriate place.</h3>
<p>For example, the following pages were added after completion:</p>
<ul>
<li>"Rate limits" was added under "REST API", describing how to deal with rate limits on requests made to
the REST API.</li>
<li>"Bug bounties and responsible disclosure" was added under "Contributing to Mastodon", describing where
serious issues should be reported if found.</li>
<li>"Running your own server" was added under "Using Mastodon", describing the reasons why a user might want
to run their own server and linking to the "Running Mastodon" section.</li>
</ul>
<p>The clear structure left in place by my information architecture work meant that it was almost immediately
clear where to add these pages.</p>
<h3 class="subtitle">The quality and formatting of the docs was vastly improved.</h3>
<p>Methods now include the HTTP verb, endpoint, description, return type, OAuth scope, version history, request
parameters, and sample response code and payload.</p>
<p>Entities now include example payloads, as well as eacha ttribute and its description, type, and version
history.</p>
</div>
</section>
<hr class="separator">
<section class="section" id="cta">
<div class="container">
<h2 class="title">Maybe you'd appreciate me doing something similar for you?</h2>
<img src="/images/mastodocs.png" alt="Mastodon documentation landing page">
<div class="buttons">
<a href="https://docs.joinmastodon.org" class="demo button"><i class="fa fa-globe"></i>Check out the live
version</a>
<a href="mailto:a@trwnh.com" class="email button"><i class="fa fa-envelope"></i>Email me a proposal</a>
</div>
</div>
</section>
</main>
- Technical overview
- Setting up a dev environment
- Code structure
- Routes
The old "overview" page contained a mixture of information about setting up a dev environment, libraries used, code structure, and useful commands to run for testing.
The first step in cleaning this up was to split this page into multiple discrete pages, each with its own purpose. As "development" is a vague term, two new sections were created to replace it: one for client development (merged with API), and one for server development. The old "overview" pages were nested under the server development section, as they dealt primarily with server development.
Next, "ActivityPub compliance" was moved into a dedicated section for spec compliance, and pages were created for documenting how various significant specifications were used and implemented within Mastodon.
### API
```
Old structure:
"API overview"
- Guidelines
- Libraries
- Authentication
- Permissions
- Entities
- Parameters
- Streaming API
- Web Push API
"REST API"
- Accounts
- Apps
- ...
- Timelines
New structure:
"Developing Mastodon Apps"
- Getting started with the API
- Playing with public data
- Obtaining client app access
- Logging in with an account
- Guidelines and best practices
- Libraries and implementations
"REST API"
- OAuth scopes
"API Methods"
- apps
- oauth
- accounts
- bookmarks
- favourites
- ...
- statuses
- media
- ...
- timelines
- conversations
- ...
- streaming
- notifications
- push
- search
- instance
- trends
- directory
- custom_emoji
- admin
- proofs
- oembed
"API Entities"
- Account
- ...
- Token
```
This was the majority of the work. Mastodon's REST API documentation was really messy, and it showed. Finding something generally entailed flipping back and forth between multiple pages and searching within them, and each page was very long.
The first step was to promote methods and entities into their own sections. The "Entities" page was split into multiple pages, one per entity, and alphabetized. Tables were converted into headings, to allow for providing more information about each field.
Methods were grouped by namespace rather than by feature-set, and with one level of nesting depending on whether the methods within pertained to accounts, statuses, timelines, notifications, etc. The pages for the Streaming and Web Push APIs were moved out of the overview section and into the methods section.
Finally, a new section was created for a client development guide. The guide would cover the basics of REST API, how to make requests, how responses are structured, and authentication/authorization.
## Technical writing
### User guide
With the information architecture phase done, writing the user guide was a straightforward task. Explanations of each feature and setting were added to the appropriate pages, as well as screenshots demonstrating proper usage. Tip boxes are included throughout in order to highlight important points.
### Client development guide
Writing this section taught me a lot about the basics of REST APIs, understanding HTTP requests and responses, providing parameters, and how OAuth works -- all information that I included in the client development guide.
### Routes
While documenting the REST API, I had to consult the Ruby on Rails routing config file extensively, so I took it as an opportunity to write a page about how routes work and how to read the routes file.
### Specification compliance
While the basics of ActivityPub federation were already written, the format of the old document simply pointed toward the server-to-server spec, as well as HTTP Signatures and Linked Data Signatures (with no real explanation beyond that). Therefore, I rewrote this page into multiple separate pages, each detailing the spec in question. The "ActivityPub" page now covered status federation and profile federation, the properties and types used in each, HTML payload sanitization, namespacing, and extensions (with sample payloads). "WebFinger" explained what, why, and how to use WebFinger for actor URI resolution. "Security" explained HTTP and LD signatures. "Microformats" explained the use of Microformats 2.0 and how they may be parsed, and "OAuth" covered the endpoints and flows implemented within Mastodon for obtaining a token.
### REST API
Methods now include the HTTP verb, endpoint, description, return type, OAuth scope, version history, request parameters, and sample response code and payload.
Entities now include example payloads, as well as eacha ttribute and its description, type, and version history.
## Outcomes
> "Bless you for being here to work on the docs btw. It's a big relief."
### Less missing information
During the information architecture phase, a new skeleton was created as a proposed alternative structure. This process made the existing gaps in the old structure more obvious, and therefore those gaps could be filled during the technical writing phase.
### Easier to make additions in an appropriate place
Pages that were added after completion:
- "Rate limits" was added under "REST API", describing how to deal with rate limits on requests made to the REST API.
- "Bug bounties and responsible disclosure" was added under "Contributing to Mastodon", describing where serious issues should be reported if found.
- "Running your own server" was added under "Using Mastodon", describing the reasons why a user might want to run their own server and linking to the "Running Mastodon" section.
The clear structure left in place by my information architecture work meant that it was almost immediately clear where to add these pages.