Tutorials & Code Samples

Create effective tutorials and sample code that accelerate developer learning.

Skill Contract

Parameters

parameters:
  required:
    - tutorial_type: enum[quickstart, walkthrough, deep_dive, workshop]
    - topic: string
  optional:
    - languages: array[string]
    - duration_target: duration

Output

output:
  tutorial:
    content: markdown
    code_samples: array[CodeBlock]
    repository_structure: object

Tutorial Types

Type	Goal	Length
Quickstart	First success	5-10 min
Walkthrough	Build something	30-60 min
Deep dive	Master topic	1-2 hours
Workshop	Hands-on practice	2-4 hours

Tutorial Structure

1. Introduction
   - What you'll build
   - What you'll learn
   - Prerequisites

2. Setup
   - Environment preparation
   - Dependencies installation
   - Configuration

3. Steps (3-7 steps)
   - Clear numbered instructions
   - Code with explanations
   - Expected results

4. Conclusion
   - What you accomplished
   - Next steps
   - Related resources

Code Sample Best Practices

DO

// Good: Complete, runnable example
const client = new APIClient({ apiKey: process.env.API_KEY });

async function getUser(userId) {
  try {
    const user = await client.users.get(userId);
    console.log(`User: ${user.name}`);
    return user;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error(`Failed to get user: ${error.message}`);
    throw error;
  }
}

getUser('user_123');

DON'T

// Bad: Incomplete, unclear
client.users.get(id).then(u => console.log(u));

Sample Application Patterns

Pattern	Use Case
Minimal	Single feature demo
Full-stack	Complete application
Use-case	Specific scenario
Clone	Production starter

Repository Structure

sample-app/
├── README.md        # Quick start
├── .env.example     # Environment template
├── src/             # Source code
├── docs/            # Additional docs
└── tests/           # Example tests

Retry Logic

retry_patterns:
  code_doesnt_work:
    strategy: "Test in clean environment"

  user_stuck:
    strategy: "Add more detail, screenshots"

  outdated_deps:
    strategy: "Update, add version notes"

Failure Modes & Recovery

Failure Mode	Detection	Recovery
Code fails	User reports	Fix immediately
Deps outdated	Security alert	Update, test
Missing steps	User stuck	Add detail

Debug Checklist

□ Works on clone/download?
□ Clear README instructions?
□ Environment variables documented?
□ Error handling included?
□ Comments explain "why"?
□ Tests pass?

Test Template

test_tutorials:
  unit_tests:
    - test_code_runs:
        assert: "All samples execute"
    - test_deps_current:
        assert: "No security issues"

  integration_tests:
    - test_fresh_clone:
        assert: "Works from scratch"

Quality Checklist

• Works on clone/download
• Clear README instructions
• Environment variables documented
• Error handling included
• Comments explain "why"

Observability

metrics:
  - tutorials_published: integer
  - samples_tested: integer
  - user_completion_rate: float

See assets/ for sample templates.