ln-120-reference-docs-creator

What this skill does

> **Paths:** File paths (`references/`, `../ln-*`) are relative to this skill directory.

# Reference Documentation Creator

**Type:** L2 Worker

This skill creates the reference documentation structure (docs/reference/) and **smart documents** (ADRs, Guides, Manuals) based on project's TECH_STACK. Documents are created only when justified (nontrivial technology choices with alternatives).

## Purpose

Create the reference documentation directory structure (docs/reference/) with README hub, then generate ADRs, Guides, and Manuals only for justified (nontrivial) technology choices based on TECH_STACK from Context Store.

## When to Use This Skill

**This skill is a L2 WORKER** invoked by **ln-100-documents-pipeline** orchestrator.

This skill should be used directly when:
- Creating only reference documentation structure (docs/reference/)
- Setting up directories for ADRs, guides, and manuals
- NOT creating full documentation structure (use ln-100-documents-pipeline for complete setup)

## Inputs

**From ln-100 (via ln-110 Context Store):**
```json
{
  "context_store": {
    "PROJECT_NAME": "my-project",
    "TECH_STACK": {
      "frontend": "React 18",
      "backend": "Express 4.18",
      "database": "PostgreSQL 15",
      "orm": "Prisma 5.0",
      "auth": "JWT",
      "cache": "Redis 7"
    },
    "DEPENDENCIES": [...],
    "flags": { "hasBackend": true, "hasDatabase": true, "hasFrontend": true }
  }
}
```

**TECH_STACK** is used for smart document creation in Phase 2.

**MANDATORY READ:** Load `references/docs_quality_contract.md`, and `references/markdown_read_protocol.md`.
Optional rule catalog: load `references/docs_quality_rules.json` only when exact rule IDs, path matrices, or allowlisted placeholder exceptions are needed.

## Workflow

The skill follows a 4-phase workflow: **CREATE STRUCTURE** → **SMART DOCUMENT CREATION** → **VALIDATE STRUCTURE** → **VALIDATE CONTENT**. Phase 2 creates documents only for justified technology choices.

---

### Phase 1: Create Structure

**Objective**: Establish reference documentation directories and README hub.

**Process**:

**1.1 Check & create directories**:
- Check if `docs/reference/adrs/` exists → create if missing
- Check if `docs/reference/guides/` exists → create if missing
- Check if `docs/reference/manuals/` exists → create if missing
- Check if `docs/reference/research/` exists → create if missing
- Log for each: "✓ Created docs/reference/[name]/" or "✓ docs/reference/[name]/ already exists"

**1.2 Check & create README**:
- Check if `docs/reference/README.md` exists
- If exists:
  - Skip creation
  - Log: "✓ docs/reference/README.md already exists, proceeding to validation"
- If NOT exists:
  - Copy template: `ln-120-reference-docs-creator/references/templates/reference_readme_template.md` → `docs/reference/README.md`
  - Replace placeholders:
    - `{{VERSION}}` — "1.0.0"
    - `{{DATE}}` — current date (YYYY-MM-DD)
    - `{{ADR_LIST}}` — `- No ADRs yet. Add the first ADR when a nontrivial decision is accepted.`
    - `{{GUIDE_LIST}}` — `- No project guides yet. Add guides when patterns need project-specific explanation.`
    - `{{MANUAL_LIST}}` — `- No package manuals yet. Add manuals only for complex external APIs.`
    - `{{RESEARCH_LIST}}` — `- No research notes yet. Add research only when a concrete question is investigated.`
  - Preserve the shared opening contract and standard top sections from the template
  - Log: "✓ Created docs/reference/README.md from template"

**1.3 Output**:
```
docs/reference/
├── README.md         # Created or existing
├── adrs/            # Empty, ready for ADRs
├── guides/          # Empty, ready for guides
├── manuals/         # Empty, ready for manuals
└── research/        # Empty, ready for research documents
```

---

### Phase 2: Smart Document Creation

**Objective**: Create ADRs, Guides, and Manuals for justified technology choices. Skip trivial/obvious selections.

**2.1 Check Context Store**:
- If no `context_store` provided → skip Phase 2, proceed to Phase 3
- If no `TECH_STACK` in context_store → skip Phase 2, proceed to Phase 3
- Log: "Context Store received with TECH_STACK: [categories count]"

**2.2 Load Justification Rules**:
- Read `references/tech_justification_rules.md`
- Parse category → justified/skip conditions

**2.3 Analyze TECH_STACK for ADRs**:

For each category in TECH_STACK (frontend, backend, database, orm, auth, cache):

1. **Check if justified** (from justification rules):
   - `frontend`: Justified if React/Vue/Angular/Svelte (multiple options exist)
   - `backend`: Justified if Express/Fastify/NestJS/Koa (multiple options exist)
   - `database`: Justified if PostgreSQL/MySQL/MongoDB (multiple options exist)
   - `auth`: Justified if JWT/OAuth/Session (decision required)
   - `orm`: Justified if Prisma/TypeORM/Sequelize (multiple options exist)
   - `cache`: Justified if Redis/Memcached (decision required)

2. **Skip if trivial**:
   - jQuery-only frontend (no framework choice)
   - Simple http server (no framework)
   - SQLite for dev only
   - No auth required
   - Raw SQL only
   - In-memory cache only

3. **Create ADR if justified**:
   - Determine next ADR number: `adr-NNN-{category}.md`
   - Use template: `references/templates/adr_template.md`
   - MCP Research: `mcp__context7__resolve-library-id(technology)`
   - Fill template:
     - Title: "ADR-NNN: {Category} Selection"
     - Context: Why decision was needed
     - Decision: Technology chosen with version
     - Rationale: 3 key reasons from research
     - Alternatives: 2 other options with pros/cons
   - Save: `docs/reference/adrs/adr-NNN-{category}.md`
   - Log: "✓ Created ADR for {category}: {technology}"

4. **Skip if not justified**:
   - Log: "⊘ Skipped ADR for {category}: trivial choice"

**2.4 Analyze TECH_STACK for Guides**:

For each technology with complex configuration:

1. **Check if justified**:
   - Has config file with >20 lines
   - Uses custom hooks/middleware/decorators
   - Has 3+ related dependencies

2. **Create Guide if justified**:
   - Determine next guide number: `NN-{technology-slug}-patterns.md`
   - Use template: `references/templates/guide_template.md`
   - MCP Research: `mcp__Ref__ref_search_documentation("{technology} patterns {current_year}")`
   - Fill template:
     - Principle: Industry standard from research
     - Our Implementation: How project uses it
     - Patterns table: 3 Do/Don't/When rows
   - Save: `docs/reference/guides/NN-{technology}-patterns.md`
   - Log: "✓ Created Guide for {technology}"

3. **Skip if standard usage**:
   - Log: "⊘ Skipped Guide for {technology}: standard usage"

**2.5 Analyze TECH_STACK for Manuals**:

For each package with complex API:

1. **Check if justified**:
   - Package has >10 exported methods
   - Has breaking changes in current version
   - NOT in trivial list: lodash, uuid, dotenv

2. **Create Manual if justified**:
   - Use template: `references/templates/manual_template.md`
   - MCP Research: `mcp__context7__get-library-docs(topic: "API")`
   - Fill template:
     - Package info with version
     - 2-3 most used methods
     - Configuration section
   - Save: `docs/reference/manuals/{package}-{version}.md`
   - Log: "✓ Created Manual for {package}"

3. **Skip if trivial API**:
   - Log: "⊘ Skipped Manual for {package}: trivial API"

**2.6 Report Smart Creation**:
```
✅ Smart Document Creation complete:
  - ADRs created: [count] (justified: frontend, backend, database)
  - ADRs skipped: [count] (trivial: cache=in-memory)
  - Guides created: [count]
  - Guides skipped: [count]
  - Manuals created: [count]
  - Manuals skipped: [count]
```

---

### Phase 3: Validate Structure

**Objective**: Ensure reference/README.md complies with structural requirements and auto-fix violations.

**Process**:

**2.1 Check opening contract**:
- Read `docs/reference/README.md` (first 5 lines)
- Check for `<!-- SCOPE: ... -->` tag and metadata markers
- Expected: `<!-- SCOPE: Reference documentatio