Frontend dev → technical writer | I write tutorials developers finish | @FreeCodeCamp contributor
Joined May 2022
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Most SaaS tutorials teach you how to use the product.
Vercel's tutorials teach you how to ship with it.
There's a difference.
I tore down Vercel's Next.js Prisma guide to see how their content drives activation.
Here's what they do that most companies skip:
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Your content calendar shouldn't start with brainstorming.
- Search Reddit for threads where developers are stuck.
- Copy the exact language.
- Feed it your feature list into AI and ask it to match complaints to features.
That output is your calendar.
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Most DevTool content teams build their calendar by brainstorming.
I build mine by listening.
Last month I used Reddit to build a 5-tutorial calendar for a client in one research session.
Here's the exact process: 🧵
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Reddit isn't a content idea generator.
It's a listening tool.
The teams getting the most out of their content budgets aren't brainstorming harder.
They're listening better.
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I find pain points using this method (and other methods) and write implementation-first articles on them for developer tool companies.
If that sounds like something interests you, send me a DM.
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Most developers skim articles.
They jump to the code, copy what they need, and close the tab.
If your code block needs a paragraph of context before it makes sense, your structure is failing.
Here's the context-sandwich method I use in every tutorial I write: 🧵
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When to skip the explanation entirely:
- The code is boilerplate
- The logic is self-evident
- You already explained the pattern in a previous block
Developers notice padding.
If it doesn't add understanding, cut it.
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Most tutorial problems aren't code problems. They're structure problems.
Sandwich the code between the problem and the breakdown – and your readers will actually understand what they just built.
Follow me for more on writing technical content that developers trust.
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Most developers treat API keys as binary.
But you can do more with them, specifically through their metadata.
You can attach values like:
- Organization ID
- Consumer plan
- Tenant ID
And then use the values to control the key behaviour.
Wrote a guide on how to do that.
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I used to think bigger code dumps meant better tutorials.
After writing 20 articles and studying blogs like Stripe and Vercel, I noticed developers were skimming past my 50-line examples without reading them.
Here's what I changed:🧵
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Good technical content isn't about showing how much you know.
It's about helping someone make progress.
Chunk the code. Explain the logic. Let the repo do the rest.
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If you like technical content writing break downs like this, you'll like my newsletter. Every Wednesday, I share practical tips on writing content that developers love.
Subscribe with the link 👇
substack.com/@chiderahumphre…
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