(2.0) Document how to generate and preview contributor docs

[nbogie]

Increasing access

Better documentation in this area would make it easier for more people to add or edit contributor docs.

Most appropriate sub-area of p5.js?

• Accessibility
• Color
• Core/Environment/Rendering
• Data
• DOM
• Events
• Image
• IO
• Math
• Typography
• Utilities
• WebGL
• Build process
• Unit testing
• Internationalization
• Friendly errors
• Other (specify if possible)

Feature enhancement details

initial changes

Add a document in contributor_docs/ which details:

• how to build and preview changes to the contributor docs
• how to troubleshoot this process

possible eventual additions

Whilst out of scope of this first issue, eventually thesame guide might also cover:

• how to add a new contributor doc
  • where source copies of contributor docs live
  • filename conventions
  • eventual URL paths
  • title - first level 1 heading
  • subtitle - first line html comment
  • how to link to other docs and reference pages
  • how to include assets (images, etc)
  • link to markdown guide
  • style guidelines, or, links to relevant sections of https://beta.p5js.org/contribute/documentation_style_guide/

name:

I was thinking working_with_contributor_documents.md. Perhaps just writing contributor_documents.md is preferred?

Other 2.0 contributor doc filenames for context:

access.md
contributing_to_the_p5js_reference.md
contributor_guidelines.md
creating_libraries.md
documentation_style_guide.md
fes_contribution_guide.md
friendly_error_system.md
how-to-add-friendly-error-messages.md
p5.strands.md
release_process.md
steward_guidelines.md
unit_testing.md
web_accessibility.md
webgl_contribution_guide.md
webgl_mode_architecture.md
webgpu.md

[nbogie]

I'd like to add a first iteration of this (and then sit back).

[Joiejoie1]

Hi @nbogie ,

Can I be assigned to work on the Accessibility enhancement issue?

I am applying for the GSOC 2026, and I would like to contribute to the Processing Foundation project.

[ksen0]

@nbogie thanks for articulating this! Yes please go ahead with the first iteration. Maybe it can be a minimal initial merged .md that addresses what seems most essential. (I think the overview of "where source copies of contributor docs live" seems really useful even before the rest can be done.) Then after that you can open it up / hand it to the next volunteer.

I am not opposed to a separate section on contributor docs, however I wonder if https://p5js.org/contribute/steward_guidelines/
can be revised to accommodate? "Stewardship" has been used to describe the work of helping people navigate the multiple repositories and different docs. The current stewardship doc has sections on pull requests and issues that might be better suited for https://p5js.org/contribute/contributor_guidelines/, making space for the content you've described above. In general, contributor docs and website were revised with the https://diataxis.fr/ framework in mind so that might also be helpful as a point of reference.

@Joiejoie1, welcome! Assignment is first-come basis, so when @nbogie is ready to hand it over, you can work on the next parts. In the meantime, please be sure to check out the GSoC Q&A thread and keep in mind that Processing Foundation does not require merged PRs.

[nbogie]

I've added a rough first version on working with contributor docs, which details the trickiest part:

• how to generate and preview the contributor docs (with some troubleshooting notes)
• and also the minimum details for creating a new one

Regarding content location

I stuck with contributor_docs/working_with_contributor_documents.md working location for now.

I'm not sure I've understood, but I don't have very strong opinion on locations. I wouldn't have thought to look in stewardship guidelines for the build process if I was working on fixing some typos in a contributor doc.

I'd expect, in "contribute" section of website, to find...

• a guide on how to write/edit/preview the reference
• a guide on how to write/edit/preview a tutorial
• a guide on how to write/edit/preview an example
• a guide on how to write/edit/preview guides (contributor docs)

Anyway, I figure now that the content's in somewhere, it can be considered, revised, and moved around relatively easily as any continuing discussion on structuring instructs.