diataxis-convert

Diataxis Documentation Converter

Split mixed documentation into separate, focused documents — one per Diataxis quadrant.

Diataxis Compass

           Practical           Theoretical
        +----------------+------------------+
Study   |   TUTORIALS    |   EXPLANATION    |
        |   (learning)   | (understanding)  |
        +----------------+------------------+
Work    |   HOW-TO       |   REFERENCE      |
        |   (problem)    |  (information)   |
        +----------------+------------------+

When to Use

• Documentation exists but mixes multiple quadrants in a single document
• A diataxis-audit flagged mixed content that needs splitting
• A long README or guide tries to be everything at once
• Users report difficulty finding information in existing docs

Required Inputs

1. Source document(s): The mixed documentation to convert
2. Audit report (optional): Output from diataxis-audit identifying mixed sections
3. Output directory (optional): Where to write the separated documents

Common Patterns

The most frequent mixing patterns and how to resolve them:

Pattern	Symptom	Resolution
Tutorial + Explanation	Steps interrupted by long "why" sections	Extract explanations, link from tutorial
How-to + Tutorial	Guide that teaches from scratch	Extract learning path into tutorial, keep problem-solving in how-to
Reference + How-to	API docs with embedded instructions	Extract procedures into how-to guides
README that does everything	Single doc covers setup, usage, API, and rationale	Split into 4 documents, replace README with overview + links

Workflow

Phase 1: Analyze the Source

Read the source document(s) completely. For each section or paragraph, tag it:

• [T] — Tutorial content (guided learning, step-by-step, builds to a result)
• [H] — How-to content (problem-solving, goal-oriented, assumes competence)
• [R] — Reference content (factual, descriptive, API/config details)
• [E] — Explanation content (conceptual, "why", design decisions, context)

Phase 2: Extract Tutorial Content

Collect all [T] tagged content. Restructure it into a proper tutorial:

• Establish a clear learning goal and end result
• Order steps logically, building incrementally
• Remove all conceptual explanations (replace with links to explanation)
• Remove all optional variations (move to how-to guides)
• Add "You should see" checkpoints after each step
• Ensure the tutorial builds to a complete, testable result

Phase 3: Extract How-to Content

Collect all [H] tagged content. Group by distinct goals, then for each goal:

• State the goal clearly in the title
• Remove any teaching/onboarding content (link to tutorials instead)
• Keep flexibility and options
• Add verification steps
• Assume the reader is already competent with the basics

Phase 4: Extract Reference Content

Collect all [R] tagged content. Restructure into consistent reference format:

• API signatures, parameters, return values → parameter tables
• Configuration options → structured option listings
• Data structures → field tables
• Remove all narrative, instructions, and opinions
• Ensure consistent formatting across all entries
• Fill gaps: if some functions are documented but others aren't, flag the missing ones

Phase 5: Extract Explanation Content

Collect all [E] tagged content. Restructure into coherent explanation:

• Group by theme or concept
• Add context: why decisions were made, what alternatives exist
• Discuss trade-offs honestly
• Remove procedural steps (link to tutorials/how-tos)
• Connect concepts to each other

Phase 6: Cross-link

Add cross-references between all generated documents:

• Tutorial → "For more details, see [Reference]. To understand why, see [Explanation]."
• How-to → "New to this? Start with [Tutorial]. Full API details in [Reference]."
• Reference → "For a guided introduction, see [Tutorial]. For common tasks, see [How-to]."
• Explanation → "To try this yourself, see [Tutorial]. For practical tasks, see [How-to]."

Phase 7: Handle the Source

Propose what to do with the original mixed document:

• Replace: Delete the original, redirect to the new documents
• Reduce: Turn the original into a landing page with links to the four documents
• Archive: Keep the original but mark it as superseded

Outputs

• Up to 4 new documents (one per quadrant that had content), each following its quadrant's template
• Cross-links between all generated documents
• Conversion report showing what moved where
• Recommendation for handling the original source document

Conversion Report Format

# Conversion Report: [source document]

## Content Distribution

| Quadrant | New Document | Lines from Source | Content Summary |
|----------|-------------|-------------------|-----------------|
| Tutorial | tutorials/getting-started.md | 12-45, 78-92 | Setup and first use |
| How-to | how-to/configure-x.md | 50-77 | Configuration steps |
| Reference | reference/api.md | 93-150 | API parameters |
| Explanation | explanation/architecture.md | 1-11, 151-180 | Design rationale |

## Content Not Migrated

- [Any content dropped and why]

## Source Document Recommendation

[Replace / Reduce / Archive] — [rationale]

Validation

• Every section of the original document is accounted for (migrated, dropped with reason, or linked)
• Each output document passes a quadrant purity check — no mixing
• Cross-links are present and accurate
• No content is duplicated across output documents

Related Skills

• diataxis-audit: Run first to identify which documents need conversion
• diataxis-create: Use templates for the output documents
• diataxis-plan: Plan the target directory structure before converting