Prisma tutorials seek to educate the reader above all. In order to keep articles consistent across the site, we have developed a number of style, content, and formatting guidelines. A reader should be able to switch seamlessly between various Prisma tutorials and find the same characteristics, regardless of the author or topic.
While we want people to be able to use the tutorials in order to simply complete a certain task, a reader should also come away from a tutorial with new knowledge. Tutorials should explain the why behind each step and recommendation that they make. Users should understand what the steps they are taking do, what the packages they are installing contain, etc.
With many of the complex topics being covered, tutorials should always go out of their way to explain concepts. As you write a tutorial, you can assume that the reader has some basic knowledge— but the tutorial should be written as if the reader had just learned them, and still seeks clarity. This is because it is easier for someone deeply familiar with a topic to skip over certain explanations than for someone just learning it to fill in the details. The additional explanations can fill in the different blank spots that individuals may have in their knowledge.
Assume zero knowledge and infinite intelligence
Tutorials should work from start to finish just by following the instructions. Always test your articles from scratch. Note where you run into issues, whether from dependencies, things being out of date, etc. If you have an issue, the reader may experience it as well: consider adding a troubleshooting section to help the reader through it. Ensure that tutorials do not need additional commands or steps.
The tone of the tutorials should be straightforward, approachable, and friendly. At the same time, we want to ensure that the tutorials remain focused on the core elements of the piece. Distractions such as excessive humor, memes, etc, should be minimized. Additionally, we want the tutorial to be as objective as possible— keeping a neutral tone in the article will ensure that people feel the information can be trusted.