Development Knowledge Base Template

A tool-agnostic template for creating a living documentation system that captures development best practices, patterns, and learnings in any software project.

This template provides a complete framework for creating a Development Knowledge Base system for any software project. Look for TODO markers throughout this document to identify areas that need customization for your specific project.

Project Setup Instructions

1. TODO: Replace {PROJECT_NAME} with your actual project name
2. TODO: Replace {TECH_STACK} with your primary technologies (e.g., "React/TypeScript", "Python/Django", "Go/Kubernetes")
3. TODO: Replace {DOMAIN_AREAS} with your project's specific domain areas
4. TODO: Customize the categories and file structure to match your project needs
5. TODO: Choose your preferred folder structure option (see Folder Structure Options section)
6. TODO: Update any existing project documentation references

---

Overview

The {PROJECT_NAME} Development Knowledge Base is a living documentation system that captures, organizes, and maintains development best practices, learnings, common patterns, and guidelines discovered during project development. This system ensures that all developers have access to up-to-date knowledge and can contribute their learnings back to the collective knowledge base.

Folder Structure Options

TODO: Choose one of these folder structure approaches based on your project needs:

Option 1: Root-level Hidden Directory (Recommended)

Best for: Projects that want knowledge base accessible to all tools and editors

project-root/
├── .knowledge-base/            # Hidden knowledge base directory
│   ├── README.md              # Knowledge base overview and navigation
│   ├── categories/            # Organized by development areas
│   │   ├── {domain-area-1}/   # TODO: Replace with your domain areas
│   │   ├── {domain-area-2}/   # TODO: Replace with your domain areas
│   │   ├── {tech-stack}/      # TODO: Replace with your tech stack
│   │   ├── performance/       # Performance optimization learnings
│   │   ├── testing/          # Testing patterns and practices
│   │   ├── deployment/       # Deployment and packaging learnings
│   │   └── troubleshooting/  # Common issues and solutions
│   ├── patterns/             # Reusable code patterns and templates
│   │   ├── {pattern-area-1}/ # TODO: Replace with your pattern areas
│   │   ├── {pattern-area-2}/ # TODO: Replace with your pattern areas
│   │   └── common/           # Common patterns across domains
│   ├── templates/            # Code templates and scaffolding
│   └── .meta/               # Knowledge base management (hidden)
│       ├── contribution-guide.md
│       ├── maintenance-log.md
│       └── usage-analytics.md
├── docs/                     # Regular project documentation
└── [other project files]

Option 2: Docs Subdirectory

Best for: Projects with existing docs structure

project-root/
├── docs/
│   ├── knowledge-base/        # Knowledge base as part of docs
│   │   ├── [same structure as Option 1]
│   └── [other documentation]
└── [other project files]

Option 3: Developer Resources Directory

Best for: Projects that want to group all developer resources

project-root/
├── .dev/                     # Hidden developer resources
│   ├── knowledge-base/       # Knowledge base
│   │   ├── [same structure as Option 1]
│   ├── scripts/             # Development scripts
│   └── tools/               # Development tools
└── [other project files]

Folder Structure Benefits

Hidden Directory Approach (.knowledge-base/):

• ✅ Editor/IDE agnostic - works with any development environment
• ✅ Hidden from casual browsing but easily accessible when needed
• ✅ Independent of specific tooling (Kiro, VS Code, etc.)
• ✅ Can be version controlled like any other project file
• ✅ Easy to backup and sync across team members

Why Not Tool-Specific Folders:

• Avoids coupling knowledge base to specific IDEs or tools
• Ensures knowledge base survives tool migrations
• Makes knowledge base accessible to team members using different editors
• Prevents knowledge base from being "lost" if tool-specific folders are ignored

Knowledge Base Entry Template

Save this as a template file for creating new knowledge base entries:

---
title: "Entry Title"                                    # TODO: Replace with descriptive title
category: "{category-name}"                             # TODO: Replace with actual category
tags: ["{tag1}", "{tag2}", "{tag3}"]                   # TODO: Replace with relevant tags
difficulty: "beginner|intermediate|advanced"           # TODO: Choose appropriate difficulty
last_updated: "YYYY-MM-DD"                            # TODO: Set to current date
contributors: ["developer1", "developer2"]             # TODO: Add contributor names
# Note: removed related_specs as knowledge base is project-wide, not spec-specific
---

# Entry Title

## Problem/Context
Brief description of when this knowledge applies and what problem it solves.

## Solution/Pattern
Detailed explanation of the approach or pattern, including:
- Step-by-step implementation
- Key considerations
- When to use this approach

## Code Example
```{language}                                          # TODO: Replace with actual language
# TODO: Include real, working code that demonstrates the pattern
# TODO: Add comments explaining key parts
```

## Gotchas/Pitfalls
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Specific error conditions
- Performance considerations
- Edge cases to watch for

## Performance Impact
Quantified performance implications when applicable:
- Benchmarks or measurements
- Memory usage considerations
- Scalability implications

## Related Knowledge
- Links to related entries: `[Entry Name](../category/entry-name.md)`  # TODO: Add actual links
- External documentation links                                          # TODO: Add relevant external links
- Related tools or libraries                                           # TODO: Add tool/library references

Requirements Template

Use this template to create requirements for your project's knowledge base:

Core Requirements

1. Knowledge Access: Developers need easy access to project-specific best practices and patterns
2. Contribution Workflow: Simple process for adding new learnings and updating existing knowledge
3. Integration: Seamless integration with existing development workflows and tools
4. Organization: Logical categorization based on project domains and technologies
5. Maintenance: Tools and processes to keep knowledge current and accurate

Project-Specific Requirements

TODO: Add requirements specific to your project:

• TODO: Domain-specific knowledge areas (e.g., machine learning, web development, data processing)
• TODO: Technology-specific patterns (e.g., {TECH_STACK} best practices)
• TODO: Integration requirements with existing tools
• TODO: Team collaboration workflows

Implementation Checklist

• TODO: Choose folder structure option (see Folder Structure Options above)
• TODO: Set up directory structure
• TODO: Create entry templates
• TODO: Define categories for your project
• TODO: Create initial example entries
• TODO: Set up contribution guidelines
• TODO: Implement search and indexing (optional)
• TODO: Create maintenance tools (optional)
• TODO: Write project-specific documentation
• TODO: Train team on usage and contribution workflow

Customization Guidelines

Categories to Consider

TODO: Choose categories that match your project:

Web Development Projects:

• frontend/, backend/, database/, security/, deployment/

Machine Learning Projects:

• data-processing/, model-training/, inference/, optimization/, evaluation/

DevOps/Infrastructure Projects:

• containerization/, orchestration/, monitoring/, security/, automation/

Mobile Development Projects:

• ui-patterns/, performance/, platform-specific/, testing/, deployment/

Technology-Specific Adaptations

For Python Projects:

• Add categories for packaging, virtual environments, testing frameworks
• Include patterns for async programming, data processing, API design

For JavaScript/TypeScript Projects:

• Add categories for bundling, state management, component patterns
• Include patterns for async operations, testing, performance optimization

For Go Projects:

• Add categories for concurrency, error handling, package design
• Include patterns for microservices, testing, deployment

For Kubernetes/Cloud Projects:

• Add categories for resource management, networking, security
• Include patterns for scaling, monitoring, troubleshooting

Integration with Existing Tools

IDE Integration

• Configure your IDE to easily access knowledge base files
• Set up snippets or templates for quick entry creation
• Add search functionality for knowledge base content

CI/CD Integration

• Add validation checks for knowledge base entries
• Implement automated link checking
• Set up notifications for outdated content

Documentation Integration

• Link knowledge base entries from main documentation
• Generate summaries or indexes automatically
• Keep knowledge base synchronized with API documentation

Maintenance Strategy

Regular Reviews

• Schedule monthly reviews of knowledge base content
• Identify and update outdated entries
• Consolidate duplicate or similar entries

Contribution Encouragement

• Recognize contributors in team meetings
• Make contribution part of development workflow
• Provide easy templates and examples

Quality Assurance

• Implement peer review for complex entries
• Validate code examples and links
• Ensure consistency in formatting and style

---

Usage Instructions

1. TODO: Copy this template to your project repository
2. TODO: Replace all {PLACEHOLDER} values with project-specific information
3. TODO: Search for all "TODO" markers and customize those sections
4. TODO: Choose your preferred folder structure from the options above
5. TODO: Customize the categories and structure for your project needs
6. TODO: Create the initial directory structure
7. TODO: Add your first few knowledge base entries as examples
8. TODO: Share with your team and establish contribution workflows

This template provides a complete foundation for building a knowledge base that will grow with your project and help maintain institutional knowledge across your development team.