OAuth Doc Design
A structured approach to designing clear, developer-friendly OAuth documentation that reduces integration friction.
Audience-first structure
Segment docs by persona — first-time integrator, returning maintainer, security auditor. Each path gets its own quickstart with scoped prerequisites and a copy-paste-ready code sample.
Flow diagrams as source of truth
Every grant type gets a numbered sequence diagram. Keep it text-based (Mermaid) so it lives in the repo, stays versioned, and renders inline. No stale PNG exports.
Error catalog
Dedicated page listing every OAuth error code the provider emits, with root cause, HTTP status, and a concrete fix. Sort by frequency — put the top 5 at the top.
Token lifecycle reference
Single table covering access token, refresh token, and ID token: format, expiry, storage recommendation, and revocation behavior. Developers scan this more than any prose.
Test harness
Ship a minimal OAuth client (CLI or single-page) alongside the docs. It doubles as a smoke test for your endpoints and a learning tool for integrators.
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