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Make the README more clear and concise #5482

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# Fern documentation

Welcome to the Fern documentation! This repository contains the source code for Fern's comprehensive documentation site, currently live at [buildwithfern.com/learn](https://buildwithfern.com/learn).
Source for Fern's documentation site at [buildwithfern.com/learn](https://buildwithfern.com/learn).

## Quickstart 🚀
## Quickstart

### Prerequisites
Prerequisites:
- [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/) 22 or higher
- [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/) 10 or higher (included with Node.js 22)

Before you begin, make sure you have the following installed:
- [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/) (version 22 or higher)
- [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/) version 10.0.0 or higher (comes with Node.js 22)
Run the docs locally:

### Installation
```bash
npm install -g fern-api
git clone https://github.com/fern-api/docs.git
cd docs
fern docs dev
```

1. **Install the Fern CLI globally:**
```bash
npm install -g fern-api
```
Open [http://localhost:3000](http://localhost:3000). The dev server reloads on save.

2. **Clone this repository:**
```bash
git clone https://github.com/fern-api/docs.git
cd docs
```
Every PR generates a preview link so you can verify your changes in production-like rendering. See [this PR](https://github.com/fern-api/docs/pull/1784) for an example.

### Editing documentation

To run the documentation site locally:

1. **Start the development server:**
```bash
fern docs dev
```

2. **Open your browser and navigate to:**
```
http://localhost:3000
```

The development server will automatically reload when you make changes to the documentation files.

Finally, when you make a PR to update the docs, a PR preview link will be generated which will allow you
to test if your changes came out as intended. [Here](https://github.com/fern-api/docs/pull/1784) is a sample PR with a preview link.

## Contribution guide

Thanks for contributing to Fern's documentation!
## Contributing

### Writing tips

Keep the following principles in mind:
- **Write for the reader's task.** Explain the use case, then show how to do it. Skip marketing language.
- **Be clear and concise.** Use [active voice](https://developers.google.com/style/voice), short sentences, and a friendly tone. Avoid jargon.
- **Avoid time-relative phrasing** like "currently" or "newest" — it goes stale fast.
- **Match existing pages** when editing. Mirror the heading structure, tone, and depth.
- **Use [Fern's components](https://buildwithfern.com/learn/docs/writing-content/components/overview)** instead of plain Markdown where one fits.
- **Use [Mermaid diagrams](https://buildwithfern.com/learn/docs/writing-content/markdown-media#diagrams)** to illustrate workflows.
- **Use [sentence case](https://developers.google.com/style/capitalization)** for headings.

- **Write for your audience** - Consider why users are reading your documentation and explain the use case clearly. Focus on clarity and completeness without being verbose. Add examples and code snippets when relevant.
- **Help users get something done**. Don't try to sell users on the product, and avoid marketing language like "amazing features" or "the best solution."
- **Avoid time-specific language**. Don't mention a product or feature was just released or is the newest form, as this will quickly lead to stale documentation.
- **Write in clear, concise language**, using [active voice](https://developers.google.com/style/voice) whenever possible. Keep sentences and paragraphs short and to the point. Use a conversational and friendly tone. Stay away from jargon as much as you can.
- **Use [Fern’s documentation components](https://buildwithfern.com/learn/docs/writing-content/components/overview)** whenever you can.
- **When editing an existing page** - Match the existing heading structure, tone, and level of detail to ensure your changes integrate as seamlessly as possible.
- **Use diagrams when it makes sense** – Show, don't tell! Use [Mermaid](https://buildwithfern.com/learn/docs/writing-content/markdown-media#diagrams), a Markdown-like diagramming syntax, to illustrate a workflow.
- [**Use sentence case**](https://developers.google.com/style/capitalization) for page and section headings.

> "Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous."
>
> —George Orwell, "Politics and the English Language"

Our style guide is influenced by [Google's developer documentation style guide](https://developers.google.com/style) and Microsoft's [writing style guide](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/welcome/).
Our style is influenced by [Google's](https://developers.google.com/style) and [Microsoft's](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/welcome/) developer documentation style guides.

### Style checking with Vale

We use [Vale](https://vale.sh/docs) to check contributions for grammar, style consistency, and adherence to our writing guidelines. Our [Vale configuration](https://github.com/fern-api/docs/blob/main/.vale.ini) uses the [Microsoft style guide](https://github.com/errata-ai/Microsoft) plus custom rules for Fern's style and terminology.

Vale runs automatically on PRs that modify `.mdx` files and comments with style suggestions (non-blocking).
[Vale](https://vale.sh/docs) runs on PRs that touch `.mdx` files and posts non-blocking style suggestions. The [config](https://github.com/fern-api/docs/blob/main/.vale.ini) extends the [Microsoft style guide](https://github.com/errata-ai/Microsoft) with Fern-specific rules.

<details>
<summary>Style guidelines enforced by Vale</summary>

The Vale linter enforces the following style guidelines:

**Language and tone**
- Avoid unnecessary adverbs (very, really, extremely, etc.) that don't add meaning
- Avoid unnecessary adverbs (very, really, extremely)
- Don't use "please" in technical documentation
- Use first person (I, me) sparingly
- Avoid first-person plural (we, our, let's)
- Write in an objective, instructional tone

**Time-relative language**
- Avoid terms that become outdated: currently, presently, now, future, soon, latest, upcoming, old
- Write documentation that remains accurate over time
- Avoid terms that go stale: currently, presently, now, future, soon, latest, upcoming, old

**Headings**
- Use sentence-case capitalization (capitalize only the first word and proper nouns)
- Don't use end punctuation (periods, question marks, exclamation points)
- Use sentence-case capitalization
- No end punctuation

**Acronyms**
- Define acronyms on first use unless they're in the exceptions list (common technical acronyms like API, SDK, CLI, HTTP, JSON, etc.)
- Define acronyms on first use unless they're in the exceptions list (API, SDK, CLI, HTTP, JSON, etc.)
- Format: "Application Programming Interface (API)"

**Terminology**
- Use "Fern Editor" instead of "Visual Editor"
- Use "API Reference" (capitalized) consistently
- Use "API Explorer" (capitalized) consistently
- "Fern Editor" (not "Visual Editor")
- "API Reference" and "API Explorer" (capitalized)

**Formatting**
- Don't hyphenate adverbs ending in -ly (e.g., "quickly moving" not "quickly-moving")
- Don't hyphenate adverbs ending in -ly (e.g., "quickly moving", not "quickly-moving")
</details>

<details>
<summary>Use Vale locally</summary>
To catch issues earlier in your workflow, set up Vale to run automatically on your machine when you commit:
<summary>Run Vale locally</summary>

Run Vale on every commit:

1. Install pre-commit: `brew install pre-commit`
2. Install the hook: `pre-commit install`
</details>

### Getting changes reviewed

If you want to **add a new page or make a large structural change**:
- [File an issue in GitHub](https://github.com/fern-api/docs/issues) and assign [@devalog](https://github.com/devalog). We'll review your issue to make sure your proposed page fits with Fern's overall documentation strategy and isn't duplicating any ongoing work.

For **all other changes**:
- Submit a PR directly with your suggested changes. A Fern docs member will review and confirm.
- **New pages or large structural changes:** [File an issue](https://github.com/fern-api/docs/issues) and assign [@devalog](https://github.com/devalog) so we can confirm fit before you invest time.
- **Everything else:** Open a PR. A Fern docs maintainer will review.

If you see something that is wrong or outdated in the documentation but don't know how to fix it, [file an issue](https://github.com/fern-api/docs/issues) or reach out to [@devalog](https://github.com/devalog).
Found something wrong or out of date that you can't fix? [File an issue](https://github.com/fern-api/docs/issues) or ping [@devalog](https://github.com/devalog).
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