Documentation Consolidation Summary

Documentation Consolidation Summary

Issue #271: Consolidate duplicate documentation content

Date: 2025-08-25
Scope: Complete elimination of documentation duplication

Duplications Eliminated

1. Triple Example Documentation

  • REMOVED: /doc/example/*.md (59 duplicate files)
  • REMOVED: /doc/examples/*.md (27 duplicate files)
  • RETAINED: /example/fortran/*/README.md as canonical source

2. Documentation Generation Scripts

  • REMOVED: scripts/generate_example_docs.py
  • REMOVED: scripts/fix_example_docs.py
  • REMOVED: scripts/clean_example_docs_utf8.sh
  • UPDATED: src/fortplot_doc_paths.f90 to disable duplicate generation

3. Scattered Files

  • REMOVED: example/fortran/README_errorbar.md
  • ARCHIVED: docs/implementation_plan_issue_19.md
  • ARCHIVED: example/fortran/module_refactoring_demo.f90

4. Example Organization

Created proper structure for standalone examples: - errorbar_demo/ - Error bar demonstrations - bar_chart_demo/ - Bar chart examples - boxplot_demo/ - Box plot examples
- grid_demo/ - Grid functionality - histogram_demo/ - Histogram examples - scatter_demo/ - Enhanced scatter plots

Configuration Updates

Build System

  • UPDATED: .github/workflows/docs.yml - Removed doc/example references
  • UPDATED: src/fortplot_doc_paths.f90 - Points to canonical sources
  • UPDATED: .gitignore - Updated documentation comments

Documentation Index

  • ENHANCED: doc/index.md - Complete rewrite with proper navigation
  • UPDATED: example/fortran/README.md - Comprehensive example listing
  • FIXED: Broken links in example/fortran/animation/README.md

Design Documentation

  • UPDATED: DESIGN.md - Marked documentation consolidation as resolved

Quality Improvements

Single Source of Truth

  • Each topic now has exactly one authoritative source
  • Example documentation lives next to source code
  • Clear navigation between related topics
  • No broken internal links after consolidation

User Experience

  • Streamlined documentation structure
  • Clear hierarchical organization
  • Enhanced discoverability
  • Consistent formatting across all docs

Maintenance Benefits

  • Eliminated duplication maintenance burden
  • Reduced risk of inconsistent information
  • Simplified update process
  • Clear ownership of documentation sections

Files Affected

Removed: 89+ duplicate documentation files Updated: 8 configuration and reference files Created: 6 new properly structured example READMEs Archived: 2 obsolete files

Result

Documentation now follows single source of truth principle with: - 0 duplicated content
- Clear navigation hierarchy - Consistent structure - Improved user experience - Reduced maintenance overhead

The consolidation maintains all functionality while eliminating confusion and maintenance burden.