Using Git as CMS for Technical Documentation

Linux has surpassed both Windows and mac to become the most popular operating system in the world. You can’t deny the reach and usefulness of open source software.

Using Git for documentation brings the same benefits to writing that developers enjoy in coding — version control, collaboration, and transparency.

Version Control and History
Git tracks every change made to documentation. You can easily see who changed what, when, and why. This makes it simple to revert mistakes, compare versions, and maintain a clear history of updates.

Collaboration and Review
Multiple writers, developers, and subject matter experts can contribute simultaneously without overwriting each other’s work. Pull requests and merge reviews enable structured peer review and quality assurance — just like code.

Docs-as-Code Workflow
Treating documentation like code means using the same tools, workflows, and repositories. Writers can use Markdown, YAML, or AsciiDoc alongside source code, enabling automated builds, continuous integration (CI), and publishing pipelines.

Consistency and Automation
Git integrates with build systems (like Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or GitLab CI/CD) to automate formatting, linting, and deployment of documentation to websites or portals. This ensures every published version reflects the latest source of truth.

Transparency and Traceability
Every change is visible, reviewable, and linked to an issue or feature update. This accountability helps maintain alignment between documentation and product development.

Finally,

“Git brings discipline, collaboration, and automation to documentation. Turning documentation from a static artifact into a living, evolving part of the software itself.”