Ship Smarter Ethereum Docs with Focus Habits

Written by Team ETHDOC

Smart contracts live or die on clarity. If teammates, auditors, and integrators can read your intent quickly, they trust the code faster and ship faster. ETHDOC keeps the workflow simple, you write clear Ethereum Natural Specification comments in Solidity, then generate the docs from those comments with a couple of commands.

Before we get into habits, here is the quick loop this article assumes:

  1. Write NatSpec inline in your Solidity files.
  2. Use the command line to turn those comments into docs.

Your focus setup

I keep an environment that makes deep work the default. A quiet workspace, notifications off, and one tab for the repo. For audio, a minimal playlist that keeps cognitive load low helps me stay in the flow. Here is the one I use while drafting NatSpec and reviewing PRs: Deep Focus on Spotify.

A simple ETHDOC docs loop you can repeat anytime

Step 1: Plan three doc targets
Pick exactly three units to improve. For example: a contract overview, one complex function, and one edge-case note in the README.

Step 2: Draft NatSpec first, code second
Write comments that explain why, not just what. Keep lines short and specific to inputs, effects, and failure modes.

/// @title BondAuction
/// @notice English auction for fixed-maturity bonds settled in ERC20
/// @dev Reverts if auction is not ACTIVE or if bids do not exceed minIncrement
contract BondAuction {
    /// @notice Places a bid and locks funds until the auction ends
    /// @param amount The bid size in quote tokens
    /// @param recipient Address that receives the bond if this wins
    /// @return isHighBid True if this is the current high bid
    function bid(uint256 amount, address recipient) external returns (bool isHighBid) {
        // ...
    }

    /// @notice Cancels the auction and refunds all bidders
    /// @dev Only callable by owner when no winning settlement exists
    function cancel() external;
}

Step 3: Generate docs from the comments
Run your usual CLI command to compile the documentation from NatSpec. You can wire this into a package script so the whole team runs the same command.

Step 4: Read it like a stranger
Open the generated page. If a new reader would still ask “what does this do” or “when does it fail,” add that sentence to the NatSpec and regenerate.

Step 5: Ship a small slice
Open a PR with only the doc changes. Keep it focused so reviewers can move fast.

Focus habits that actually stick

1) The one-tab rule
During doc sprints, keep only your editor and the generated docs open. If you need an EIP or a whitepaper, paste the quote into a scratchpad and close the tab right after.

2) 25–5 cadence
Work in 25 minute blocks, 5 minute breaks. In the break, do not touch code or docs. Stand up, refill water, then sit down and restart the timer. This keeps quality stable for longer sessions.

3) Write the failure first
When documenting a function, start with how it fails. Most misunderstandings come from preconditions and revert paths. NatSpec it early, code it next.

4) Name the audience
Begin each doc pass by writing a one-line audience note above your draft: “This page is for reviewers,” or “This page is for integrators.” Write to that reader and cut anything they do not need.

5) Ban vague verbs
Replace “handles,” “manages,” “processes” with concrete results like “mints,” “burns,” “transfers,” “slashes,” “settles.” Vague verbs hide risk.

6) Show one example
For tricky flows, add a single numbered example. Keep it short.

Example settlement
1. Seller calls commit() and escrows 1,000 USDC
2. Buyer calls settle() before expiry with proof X
3. Contract transfers USDC to buyer and emits Settled(id)

7) End with a diff
Before you push, run a final diff and read only the changed comments and the generated HTML. You will catch tense shifts, mismatched names, and small contradictions.

Micro-templates you can paste into any repo

Contract overview

/**
 * @title <ContractName>
 * @notice <One clear sentence of purpose>
 * @dev Key invariants:
 *  - <Invariant 1>
 *  - <Invariant 2>
 * Permissions:
 *  - <Role> can <action>
 *  - <Role> can <action>
 */

Function checklist

  • What does it return and why does that matter
  • Preconditions that cause a revert
  • Postconditions that are always true
  • Events emitted and their meaning
  • External effects, tokens moved, storage written

Edge-case note

/**
 * @notice Edge cases
 * - Fails when <condition> because <reason>
 * - Rounding may favor <party> by at most <delta>
 * - Reentrancy guard blocks nested calls to <fn>
 */

Common pitfalls to avoid

  • Commenting what the code already says. Use NatSpec to say what the code cannot show, like intent and risk boundaries.
  • Mixing API docs and architecture notes on the same page. Keep a high-level page for the system, then API pages per contract.
  • Leaving roles implicit. Always write who can call what and why.
  • Shipping docs that do not match the current ABI. Regenerate whenever the interface changes.

A 60 minute doc sprint you can run today

  • Minute 0–5: choose three targets
  • Minute 5–25: write NatSpec for target one
  • Minute 25–30: break
  • Minute 30–50: write NatSpec for target two and three
  • Minute 50–55: generate docs and read like a stranger
  • Minute 55–60: open the PR

Keep the loop small, keep the habits light, and let the tools do the heavy lifting. ETHDOC makes it straightforward to turn clear NatSpec into readable pages, so your job is to protect focus and write what future readers need to know.