#Authoring Guides

This page outlines the standards and best practices for writing Guides on the Lynx website. Guides are narrative documentation designed to teach concepts, explain architecture, or walk users through specific tasks.

For excellent examples of well-structured guides, refer to the Quick Start and Integrate with Existing Apps pages.

#Page Structure (Frontmatter)

Every guide page is an .mdx file that starts with YAML frontmatter to define its metadata.

#title

Sets the page title displayed in the sidebar, browser tab, and search results.

---
title: Understanding the Lifecycle
---

#context

Defines the framework or context for the page (e.g., react, vue, new). This is crucial for the DSL Switcher feature, which allows users to toggle the documentation view between different framework implementations.

---
context: react
---

#Writing Tutorials

When writing step-by-step tutorials, use the following components to create a structured and engaging flow.

#<Steps>

Use the <Steps> component to wrap sequential instructions. This renders a vertical line connecting the steps, improving readability.

import { Steps } from '@theme';

<Steps>
  ### Step 1: Install Run the installation command... ### Step 2: Configure
  Update your config file...
</Steps>;

#<PackageManagerTabs>

When providing installation commands, use <PackageManagerTabs> to automatically show tabs for npm, pnpm, yarn, and bun.

npm install

import { PackageManagerTabs } from '@theme';

<PackageManagerTabs command="install" />;

#<NextSteps>

At the end of a guide, use <NextSteps> to suggest relevant follow-up reading. This helps users navigate a learning path.

import * as NextSteps from '@lynx/NextSteps';

<NextSteps.Root>
  <NextSteps.Step
    href="/guide/ui/styling"
    title="Styling"
    description="Learn how to apply different styles in Lynx"
  />
  <NextSteps.Step
    href="/guide/ui/layout"
    title="Layout"
    description="Understand the layout system"
  />
</NextSteps.Root>;

#Platform-Specific Content

Lynx runs on multiple platforms (Android, iOS, Web, etc.). When writing guides, it is essential to clearly distinguish content that varies by platform.

#Using Platform Tabs

Use the <PlatformTabs> component to organize platform-specific instructions. This component persists the user's platform selection as they navigate the site.

import { PlatformTabs } from '@lynx';

<PlatformTabs queryKey="platform">
  <PlatformTabs.Tab platform="ios">
    iOS specific instructions...
  </PlatformTabs.Tab>
  <PlatformTabs.Tab platform="android">
    Android specific instructions...
  </PlatformTabs.Tab>
</PlatformTabs>;

#Using Platform Badges

Use <PlatformBadge> or specific platform icons (like <AndroidOnly />) to explicitly mark features or caveats that apply only to certain platforms.

See MDX Components Reference for usage details.

#Related Resources

• MDX Components Reference - A catalog of custom components available for use in guides.
• Managing Examples - Instructions for embedding interactive code examples.
• API Reference - For details on documenting technical API specifications.