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Guides

The guides explain the operating model behind the tools.

Use Tools when you need a command reference. Use Guides when you want to understand why the commands exist, how the 22 canonical primitives fit together, and how to reason about framework-aware authoring as a system.

A guide illustration with a compass and route markers.

  • Why Zen Docs


    The case for treating documentation as a product surface and making framework context explicit for AI systems.

    Read

  • Detect → Profile → Act


    The three-step pattern that keeps generated output tied to project reality instead of mixed-framework guesses.

    Read

  • Authoring Primitives


    The 22 canonical primitives that the profiles map into framework-native syntax.

    Read

  • Troubleshooting


    Common detection misses, rendering errors, and setup problems — plus what to do next.

    Read

Recommended reading order

Start with Why Zen Docs, continue to Detect → Profile → Act, then read Authoring Primitives. That sequence explains the product case, the operating model, and the syntax layer in order.


Where to go next

If you want a framework comparison, continue to Frameworks. If you want the high-level principles behind the project, read Philosophy.