jonathimer/technical-tutorials

Technical Tutorials

This skill helps you create step-by-step tutorials that actually work. Covers prerequisite handling, progressive complexity, troubleshooting sections, and creating those satisfying "it works!" moments.

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Before You Start

Load your audience context first. Read .agents/developer-audience-context.md to understand:

• Developer skill level (beginner, intermediate, senior)
• Tech stack familiarity (what can you assume they know?)
• Environment (macOS, Linux, Windows, cloud)
• Why they're learning (job, side project, curiosity)

If the context file doesn't exist, run the developer-audience-context skill first.

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Tutorial Types

| Type | Length | Purpose | Example | |------|--------|---------|---------| | Quickstart | 5-10 min | First success ASAP | "Make your first API call" | | Tutorial | 20-45 min | Learn a concept deeply | "Build a REST API with Node.js" | | Workshop | 1-3 hours | Comprehensive project | "Build a full-stack app" | | Code walkthrough | Varies | Explain existing code | "Understanding our SDK architecture" |

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The Tutorial Structure

Anatomy of a Great Tutorial

1. Title & Meta
   - What you'll build
   - Time estimate
   - Prerequisites

2. Overview
   - What you'll learn
   - Final result preview

3. Prerequisites Check
   - Environment setup
   - Verification commands

4. The Build (Progressive Steps)
   - Step 1: Simplest foundation
   - Step 2: Add one concept
   - Step 3: Add complexity
   - [Checkpoint: "It works!" moment]
   - Step 4: Continue building
   - ...
   - [Final checkpoint]

5. What You Built
   - Recap
   - Complete code

6. Troubleshooting
   - Common errors
   - Debugging tips

7. Next Steps
   - Where to go from here
   - Related tutorials

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Prerequisites Handling

The Prerequisites Section

Be explicit. Don't make developers guess what they need.

## Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:

| Requirement | Version | Check Command |
|-------------|---------|---------------|
| Node.js | 18+ | `node --version` |
| npm | 9+ | `npm --version` |
| Git | Any | `git --version` |

You should also be comfortable with:
- Basic JavaScript (variables, functions, async/await)
- Command line basics (cd, mkdir, running commands)
- REST API concepts (HTTP methods, JSON)

**New to any of these?** Check out [link to prerequisite tutorial].

Environment Setup Section

Make setup foolproof:

## Setting Up Your Environment

### 1. Create Project Directory

\`\`\`bash
mkdir my-awesome-project
cd my-awesome-project
\`\`\`

### 2. Initialize the Project

\`\`\`bash
npm init -y
\`\`\`

You should see output like:
\`\`\`json
{
  "name": "my-awesome-project",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  ...
}
\`\`\`

### 3. Install Dependencies

\`\`\`bash
npm install express dotenv
\`\`\`

### 4. Verify Installation

\`\`\`bash
node -e "require('express'); console.log('Express installed!')"
\`\`\`

Expected output: `Express installed!`

---

Progressive Complexity

The Layer Cake Approach

Build up in understandable layers:

| Layer | What It Does | Example | |-------|--------------|---------| | 1. Skeleton | Minimum viable code that runs | "Hello World" server | | 2. Core feature | Primary functionality | Add one API endpoint | | 3. Real data | Replace hardcoded values | Connect to database | | 4. Error handling | Production-ready patterns | Add try/catch, validation | | 5. Polish | Nice-to-haves | Logging, config, tests |

Show Progress, Not Perfection

Wrong approach (overwhelming):

// Here's the complete file with everything
const express = require('express');
const { Pool } = require('pg');
const helmet = require('helmet');
const rateLimit = require('express-rate-limit');
const winston = require('winston');
// ... 200 more lines

Right approach (progressive):

Step 1: Basic server

const express = require('express');
const app = express();

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
  res.send('Hello World!');
});

app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server running on http://localhost:3000');
});

Step 2: Add your first route

// Add this below your existing route
app.get('/api/users', (req, res) => {
  res.json([{ id: 1, name: 'Jane' }]);
});

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Copy-Paste Friendly Code

The Copy-Paste Checklist

Every code block must pass these tests:

| Test | How to Verify | |------|---------------| | Runs standalone | Copy into new file, execute, it works | | Imports included | All require/import statements present | | No undefined variables | No references to code from other steps without showing it | | Environment agnostic | Works on Mac/Linux/Windows | | Comments explain why | Not what (code shows what), but why |

Code Block Patterns

File context is critical:

// server.js - Add this to your existing file
const rateLimit = require('express-rate-limit');

// Add this BEFORE your routes
const limiter = rateLimit({
  windowMs: 15 * 60 * 1000, // 15 minutes
  max: 100 // limit each IP to 100 requests per window
});

app.use(limiter);

Show file structure:

my-project/
├── src/
│   ├── index.js      ← You're editing this
│   ├── routes/
│   │   └── users.js
│   └── db/
│       └── connection.js
├── package.json
└── .env

Highlight changes in context:

// src/index.js
const express = require('express');
const app = express();

// ✅ ADD THIS: Import your new route
const userRoutes = require('./routes/users');

// ✅ ADD THIS: Use the route
app.use('/api/users', userRoutes);

app.listen(3000);

---

"It Works!" Moments

Checkpoints Create Motivation

Every 3-5 steps, give developers a win:

## Checkpoint: Test Your API

Let's make sure everything works before continuing.

**Start your server:**
\`\`\`bash
node server.js
\`\`\`

**In a new terminal, test the endpoint:**
\`\`\`bash
curl http://localhost:3000/api/users
\`\`\`

**You should see:**
\`\`\`json
[{"id": 1, "name": "Jane"}]
\`\`\`

🎉 **It works!** Your API is returning data.

If you don't see this output, check the [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting) section.

Visual Confirmation

When possible, show what success looks like:

| Output Type | How to Show | |-------------|-------------| | Terminal output | Code block with expected text | | Browser result | Screenshot or description | | API response | Formatted JSON | | Logs | Code block with log output |

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Troubleshooting Sections

Common Error Template

## Troubleshooting

### "Error: Cannot find module 'express'"

**Cause:** Dependencies weren't installed.

**Fix:**
\`\`\`bash
npm install
\`\`\`

---

### "EADDRINUSE: address already in use :::3000"

**Cause:** Another process is using port 3000.

**Fix (macOS/Linux):**
\`\`\`bash
# Find the process
lsof -i :3000

# Kill it (replace PID with actual number)
kill -9 PID
\`\`\`

**Or use a different port:**
\`\`\`javascript
app.listen(process.env.PORT || 3001);
\`\`\`

---

### "SyntaxError: Unexpected token"

**Cause:** Likely a typo or missing bracket.

**Debug steps:**
1. Check the line number in the error
2. Look for missing `,`, `}`, or `)`
3. Verify all strings are closed with matching quotes

Proactive Error Prevention

Add warnings before common pitfalls:

⚠️ **Windows users:** Use `set` instead of `export`:
\`\`\`bash
# macOS/Linux
export API_KEY=your_key

# Windows Command Prompt
set API_KEY=your_key

# Windows PowerShell
$env:API_KEY="your_key"
\`\`\`

---

Tutorial Templates

Quickstart Template (5-10 minutes)

# [Product] Quickstart: [What You'll Do] in 5 Minutes

Get [specific outcome] in under 5 minutes.

## Prerequisites

- [Requirement 1]
- [Requirement 2]

## Step 1: Install

\`\`\`bash
npm install your-package
\`\`\`

## Step 2: Configure

Create a `.env` file:
\`\`\`
API_KEY=your_key_here
\`\`\`

## Step 3: Write Code

Create `index.js`:
\`\`\`javascript
// Complete, working code
\`\`\`

## Step 4: Run It

\`\`\`bash
node index.js
\`\`\`

Expected output:
\`\`\`
[Output here]
\`\`\`

## 🎉 You Did It!

You just [accomplished thing].

**Next steps:**
- [Link to full tutorial]
- [Link to API docs]
- [Link to examples repo]

Full Tutorial Template (20-45 minutes)

# Build a [Thing] with [Technology]

Learn how to [outcome] by building [specific project].

| | |
|---|---|
| **Time** | 30 minutes |
| **Level** | Intermediate |
| **Prerequisites** | Node.js 18+, basic JavaScript |

## What You'll Build

[Screenshot or diagram of final result]

By the end, you'll have:
- ✅ [Capability 1]
- ✅ [Capability 2]
- ✅ [Capability 3]

## Prerequisites

### Required Software

| Tool | Version | Verify |
|------|---------|--------|
| Node.js | 18+ | `node -v` |

### Required Knowledge

- [Concept 1] — [link to learn]
- [Concept 2] — [link to learn]

## Step 1: Project Setup

[Setup instructions with verification]

**Checkpoint:** You should see `[expected output]`.

## Step 2: [First Feature]

[Instructions]

**Checkpoint:** Test with `[command]`.

## Step 3: [Second Feature]

[Instructions]

## Step 4: [Third Feature]

[Instructions]

**Checkpoint:** Your app should now [do thing].

## Complete Code

Here's everything together:

\`\`\`javascript
// Full final code
\`\`\`

## Troubleshooting

### [Common Error 1]
[Solution]

### [Common Error 2]
[Solution]

## What You Learned

- [Key concept 1]
- [Key concept 2]
- [Key concept 3]

## Next Steps

- **Go deeper:** [Link to advanced tutorial]
- **Explore:** [Link to related feature]
- **Get help:** [Link to Discord/community]

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Quality Checklist

Before publishing, verify:

Code Quality

• [ ] Every code block runs without modification
• [ ] All imports/requires are included
• [ ] Expected output is shown
• [ ] Error handling is included
• [ ] Environment variables use .env pattern

Structure Quality

• [ ] Prerequisites are explicit
• [ ] Time estimate is accurate (test it!)
• [ ] Checkpoints every 3-5 steps
• [ ] Final complete code is provided
• [ ] Troubleshooting covers likely errors

Accessibility

• [ ] Works on Mac, Linux, AND Windows
• [ ] Commands work in bash/zsh/PowerShell
• [ ] File paths use correct separators
• [ ] No assumptions about installed tools

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Tools

| Tool | Use Case | |------|----------| | Octolens | Find common questions and errors developers encounter. Monitor Stack Overflow and GitHub issues for troubleshooting content. | | Replit/CodeSandbox | Embed runnable examples | | Carbon/Ray.so | Beautiful code screenshots | | Excalidraw | Architecture diagrams | | Terminalizer | Record terminal sessions | | Loom | Quick video supplements |

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Related Skills

• developer-audience-context — Understand skill level and environment
• devrel-content — General technical writing principles
• developer-onboarding — Optimize time to first success
• developer-seo — Get tutorials found via search