documcp

--- documcp: last_updated: "2025-11-20T00:46:21.950Z" last_validated: "2025-11-20T00:46:21.950Z" auto_updated: false update_frequency: monthly --- # How to Track Documentation Freshness This guide shows you how to use DocuMCP's documentation freshness tracking system to monitor and maintain up-to-date documentation. ## Quick Start ```bash # Initialize freshness tracking: "validate documentation freshness for my docs directory" # Check freshness status: "track documentation freshness" ``` ## Overview Documentation freshness tracking helps you: - **Identify stale documentation**: Find files that haven't been updated recently - **Maintain quality**: Ensure documentation stays current with code changes - **Track history**: Monitor documentation updates over time via knowledge graph integration - **Automate maintenance**: Set up workflows for regular freshness checks ## Initial Setup ### Step 1: Initialize Freshness Metadata Before tracking freshness, you need to initialize metadata for your documentation files: ```json { "docsPath": "/path/to/docs", "projectPath": "/path/to/project", "initializeMissing": true, "validateAgainstGit": true } ``` This will: - Create freshness metadata for all documentation files - Set initial timestamps based on file modification dates - Link metadata to git history (if available) ### Step 2: Verify Initialization Check that metadata was created successfully: ```bash # Track freshness to see initialized files: "track documentation freshness for my docs" ``` You should see all files marked as "fresh" initially. ## Regular Freshness Checks ### Basic Tracking Run regular freshness checks to monitor documentation staleness: ```json { "docsPath": "/path/to/docs", "includeFileList": true } ``` ### Using Presets DocuMCP provides convenient presets for different update frequencies: - **realtime**: For documentation that changes frequently (minutes/hours) - **active**: For actively maintained docs (days) - **recent**: For recently updated docs (weeks) - **weekly**: For weekly review cycles - **monthly**: For monthly maintenance (default) - **quarterly**: For quarterly reviews ```json { "docsPath": "/path/to/docs", "preset": "monthly" } ``` ### Custom Thresholds Define your own staleness thresholds: ```json { "docsPath": "/path/to/docs", "warningThreshold": { "value": 7, "unit": "days" }, "staleThreshold": { "value": 30, "unit": "days" }, "criticalThreshold": { "value": 90, "unit": "days" } } ``` ## Understanding Freshness Levels ### Fresh ✅ Files updated within the warning threshold (default: 7 days) ### Warning 🟡 Files older than warning threshold but newer than stale threshold (7-30 days) ### Stale 🟠 Files older than stale threshold but newer than critical threshold (30-90 days) ### Critical 🔴 Files older than critical threshold (90+ days) ### Unknown ❓ Files without freshness metadata (need initialization) ## Workflow Examples ### Weekly Documentation Review ```bash # 1. Check freshness status "track documentation freshness with preset weekly" # 2. Review stale files and update as needed # (manually update documentation) # 3. Validate freshness after updates "validate documentation freshness and update existing metadata" ``` ### After Major Code Changes ```bash # 1. Update documentation to reflect code changes # (manually update files) # 2. Validate freshness against git "validate documentation freshness with git validation" # 3. Track updated status "track documentation freshness" ``` ### Automated CI/CD Integration Add freshness checks to your CI/CD pipeline: ```yaml # .github/workflows/docs-freshness.yml - name: Check Documentation Freshness run: | documcp track_documentation_freshness \ --docsPath ./docs \ --preset monthly \ --failOnStale true ``` ## Advanced Usage ### Knowledge Graph Integration Freshness tracking events are automatically stored in the knowledge graph: ```json { "docsPath": "/path/to/docs", "projectPath": "/path/to/project", "storeInKG": true } ``` This enables: - Historical analysis of documentation updates - Pattern recognition across projects - Intelligent recommendations based on past behavior ### Sorting and Filtering Customize how files are displayed: ```json { "docsPath": "/path/to/docs", "sortBy": "staleness", // Options: "age", "path", "staleness" "includeFileList": true } ``` ### Git Integration Validate freshness against git history: ```json { "docsPath": "/path/to/docs", "projectPath": "/path/to/project", "validateAgainstGit": true } ``` This compares file modification times with git commit history for more accurate staleness detection. ## Best Practices ### 1. Initialize Early Set up freshness tracking when you first create documentation: ```bash "initialize freshness tracking for my new documentation" ``` ### 2. Regular Checks Schedule regular freshness checks: - Weekly for active projects - Monthly for stable projects - Quarterly for archived documentation ### 3. Update Thresholds Adjust thresholds based on your project's update frequency: - Active projects: 7/30/90 days - Stable projects: 30/90/180 days - Archived docs: 90/180/365 days ### 4. Integrate with Workflows Combine freshness tracking with other DocuMCP tools: ```bash # Check freshness → Update stale docs → Validate → Deploy "track documentation freshness, then update stale files, validate, and deploy" ``` ### 5. Monitor Trends Use knowledge graph insights to identify patterns: ```bash # Get freshness insights from knowledge graph "get insights about documentation freshness trends" ``` ## Troubleshooting ### Problem: All files show as "unknown" **Solution**: Run `validate_documentation_freshness` with `initializeMissing: true` ### Problem: Freshness not updating after file changes **Solution**: Run `validate_documentation_freshness` with `updateExisting: true` ### Problem: Git validation failing **Solution**: Ensure `projectPath` points to git repository root and git is initialized ### Problem: Thresholds not working as expected **Solution**: Check that threshold values are positive numbers and units match your needs ## Integration with Other Tools ### With Sitemap Management ```bash # Track freshness → Generate sitemap → Deploy "track documentation freshness, then generate sitemap and deploy" ``` ### With Content Validation ```bash # Validate freshness → Validate content → Check links "validate documentation freshness, then validate content and check links" ``` ### With Gap Detection ```bash # Detect gaps → Track freshness → Update documentation "detect documentation gaps, track freshness, and update stale files" ``` ## Next Steps - [Site Monitoring](site-monitoring.md) - Monitor your documentation site health - [SEO Optimization](seo-optimization.md) - Improve search engine visibility - [Performance Optimization](performance-optimization.md) - Optimize documentation performance - [MCP Tools Reference](../reference/mcp-tools.md#documentation-freshness-tracking-tools) - Complete API reference