Published 2026-01-24.
Time to read: 5 minutes.

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I am working on a project that I call Studio Control Router (sc_router). It contains some unusual code. LLMs struggle to come up to speed. This is costing me real dollars and a lot of time.

Mike Slinn I am writing a github issue for a golang project. the documentation is lacking. there are a lot of files. i want to improve the situation by being as impactful as possible. some concepts are novel and complex. many popular LLMs have difficulty absorbing the amount of context required to understand the code comprehensively enough to make a contribution. thus the task is not to write perfect documentation, but to prompt for the minimum amount of documentation generation with the maximum impact. we want to optimize for high-impact documentation generation. this is what I wrote, please critique and show me another version. do not make it too long.

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Documentation standards for all computer language include:

All source code files should contain a standard ‘slug’, or ‘header’ of documentation at the top of the file. The documentation should answer the following questions:

• what purpose does this code serve?
• how does it fit into the larger context?
• brief description of what is defined in this file
• what is common to all these functions (why they are grouped together)
• the user will describe the planned evolution of this file

DRY Documentation

If you find yourself writing the same or similar documentation in several source files, move the commonly applicable information, and explanatory context, to a new or an existing section in the appropriate document in docs/, and reference the rendered GitHub page from the code documentation with a precise URL that has a hashtag.

Referencing a Rendered GitHub Page

This is an example of a URL pointing to a rendered GitHub page: https://github.com/mslinn/sc_router/blob/main/docs/index.md#documentation-guidelines

Go Organization

1. File documentation block described above
2. package statement
3. imports
4. types
5. structs
6. functions

Gemini

Your approach is a solid start, but to maximize impact for a complex Go project, the focus should shift from formatting to contextual mapping.

Critique of Your Draft

• The “Why” is Missing: You’ve defined what to write, but not how to make it helpful for LLMs. LLMs struggle with “spaghetti context”—they need to know which file owns the “source of truth” for specific logic.
• Go Idioms: In Go, the doc.go file or a package-level comment is the standard for “how this fits into the larger context.” Putting massive headers in every file can sometimes lead to stale info.
• The DRY Section: Good principle, but manual URL maintenance is a chore. Encourage linking to internal symbols instead.

Optimized Version: High-Impact Documentation Standard

This version focuses on Information Density to help both humans and LLMs navigate the codebase efficiently.

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Proposal: High-Impact Documentation (Architecture-First)

To improve LLM context-window efficiency and developer onboarding, we are adopting a “Minimum Viable Context” (MVC) standard for all Go files.

1. The “Context Header”

Every file must start with a concise comment block answering:

• Responsibility: What specific logic does this file “own”?
• Upstream/Downstream: What calls this, and what does it depend on? (e.g., “Implements the Router interface defined in interfaces.go”).
• State & Concurrency: Does this file manage shared state? Is it thread-safe?
• Evolution Path: A one-sentence “TODO” or “Future” note regarding the design intent.

2. Package-Level Discovery (doc.go)

Instead of repeating architectural context in every file, complex packages must include a doc.go. This acts as the Entry Point for LLMs to understand the package’s mental model before scanning individual files.

3. Cross-Referencing (The “Link” Rule)

• Internal: Reference related types using brackets: // Replaces [AuthMiddleware] for OAuth2 flows.
• External: Use stable URLs for complex specs. Link directly to the relevant section:

// Implementation follows the pattern at: https://github.com/mslinn/sc_router/blob/main/docs/arch.md#concurrency-model

4. Canonical File Structure

Maintain a predictable order to help LLMs parse symbols faster:

1. File Header (The “Slug”)
2. Package Statement
3. Imports (Grouped: Stdlib, Third-party, Internal)
4. Exported Types/Interfaces (The “What”)
5. Implementation/Functions (The “How”)

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Would you like me to draft a “Contributor’s Guide” snippet that explains these complex novel concepts for your users?

Gemini

To ensure this standard is truly “high-impact” for your project, it should serve as a map for both humans and AI. Since many of the concepts in your project are novel, the documentation should focus on the “Mental Model” rather than just describing the code.

Here is a refined version of your GitHub issue, optimized for clarity and LLM ingestion.

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Issue: Implementing “Minimum Viable Context” (MVC) Documentation

Goal: Improve codebase navigability and LLM “reasoning” by providing high-density context at the file and package levels.

1. The File-Level “Slug”

Every .go file must include a header comment that provides the “Source of Truth” for its existence. This prevents LLMs from hallucinating the file’s purpose.

• Responsibility: What specific logic does this file “own”?
• Architecture Fit: How does this interact with other modules? (e.g., “Consumes EventBus to update Storage”).
• Grouping Logic: Why are these functions here instead of in a separate package?
• Evolution: A brief note on the intended design trajectory or known technical debt.

2. Package-Level documentation (doc.go)

For complex or novel logic, we will use a doc.go file. This serves as the high-level entry point for LLMs to ingest before they process individual source files.

3. “Don’t Repeat Yourself” (DRY) via Deep Linking

Avoid duplicating complex architectural explanations across files. Instead, use precise anchors to the rendered documentation on GitHub.

Example: // For the theory behind this implementation, see: // https://github.com/mslinn/sc_router/blob/main/docs/index.md#concurrency-patterns

4. Canonical Go Ordering

To help LLMs index the file structure quickly, follow this order:

1. File Header (The “Slug”)
2. Package Statement
3. Imports (Grouped: standard library, then external, then internal)
4. Public Interfaces/Types (Defines the “What”)
5. Private Structs/State
6. Functions/Methods (Defines the “How”)

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Would you like me to generate a specific “template” for the doc.go file that addresses the novel concepts unique to your sc_router project?

Gemini

Since these concepts are novel, the doc.go file is your most powerful lever. It allows you to explain the “mental model” once so that an LLM or developer can hold that context while reading every other file in the package.

Here is a template designed for the sc_router project and a draft for your Contributor’s Guide.

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1. Contributor’s Guide: The “Mental Model” First

This section should be added to your CONTRIBUTING.md or a similar dedicated page.

To contribute effectively, you must first understand our Diagnostic Error Handling. Because these concepts are unique, we prioritize “Intent-Based Documentation.”

The Golden Rule: If you are explaining why a design decision was made, put it in docs/ and link to it. If you are explaining how this specific file implements that design, put it in the file header.

Documentation Workflow

1. Define the Theory: Update the relevant .md file in docs/ for any novel logic.
2. Establish the Package Map: Ensure doc.go explains the package’s role in the system.
3. Tag the Files: Add the “Slug” to individual files to guide the LLM’s focus.

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2. The doc.go Template

Create this in each package directory (e.g., /internal/router/doc.go).

/*
Package router implements the [Novel Concept Name].

Main Responsibilities:
- Coordinate between X and Y.
- Maintain the invariant that [State Z] is always immutable.

Architecture & Novelty:
This package deviates from standard Git LFS servers by using [Specific Novel
Technique].
For a deep dive into the mathematical/logical basis, see:
https://github.com/mslinn/sc_router/path/to/theory.md#logic-link

Key Types:
- [TypeA]: The primary entry point for...
- [TypeB]: Handles the edge cases for...

Concurrency Note:
All exported types in this package are thread-safe unless otherwise noted.
*/
package router

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3. High-Impact File Header (The “Slug”)

Place this at the top of every .go file.

// Purpose: Manages the lifecycle of [Specific Component].
// Context: Part of the [Package Name] package; called primarily by [Other
Component].
// Contents: Contains the logic for X, Y, and the Z helper functions.
// Grouping: These functions are grouped here to encapsulate [Specific
Logic/State].
// Evolution: Planned move to a plugin-based architecture in v2.0; avoid tight
coupling.

package example

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Summary of the Strategy

• For Humans: They get a clear hierarchy of information without wading through “noise.”
• For LLMs: You provide a breadbox of context. By pointing the LLM to the doc.go first, you “prime” its attention mechanism with the novel concepts before it attempts to parse the implementation details.

Would you like me to help you write the specific “Novel Concept” explanation for one of your core packages?

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