# Can no-mistakes Automatically Update Documentation? A Deep Dive into the Document Step > Discover how no-mistakes automatically updates documentation. Learn about the Document step, code synchronization, and authoritative owner policies in this deep dive. - Repository: [Kun Chen/no-mistakes](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes) - Tags: deep-dive - Published: 2026-07-23 --- **Yes, no-mistakes includes a dedicated Document step that automatically synchronizes project documentation with code changes, committing updates only for files directly affected by the change while adhering to a strict authoritative owner policy.** The open-source tool **no-mistakes** (kunchenguid/no-mistakes) automates code quality workflows through a pipeline-based architecture. When you need to ensure your docs stay accurate as code evolves, the repository provides built-in functionality to automatically update documentation through its specialized Document step. ## How the Document Step Works in no-mistakes The Document step operates as an integrated component of the no-mistakes pipeline, triggered during execution when documentation-relevant file changes are detected. ### The Authoritative Owner Policy In [`internal/pipeline/steps/document.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/pipeline/steps/document.go) (lines 28-34), the implementation enforces a strict **"authoritative owner" policy**. This constraint ensures the document agent only modifies documentation surfaces that the specific code change rendered stale. The system never performs unrelated "corpus-sweep" edits or broad documentation rewrites that exceed the scope of the current change. ### Integration with the Lint Step When your repository configuration supplies a `commands.lint` value, the Document step combines with the Lint step into a single **"document + lint housekeeping pass"** (see [`internal/pipeline/steps/document.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/pipeline/steps/document.go) lines 24-29 and 118-125). The outcome of this combined pass is stored as "documentation" findings, which are presented to the user for approval before automatic commit. ## Running Documentation Updates You can trigger documentation updates through the no-mistakes CLI using either the full pipeline or a targeted step execution. Run the complete pipeline to automatically invoke the Document step when relevant changes are detected: ```bash no-mistakes run ``` Execute only the documentation step for a quick doc-only update: ```bash no-mistakes axi run --step=document ``` ## What Happens During Execution When the Document step executes, the pipeline follows a precise sequence defined in the source code: 1. **Detection**: The executor evaluates changed files to identify modifications affecting documented facts. 2. **Agent Invocation**: The system assembles a prompt for the document agent with the instruction `"Keep the project documentation accurate for this change."` 3. **Auto-Commit**: Upon user approval of the findings, no-mistakes automatically commits the updates with a conventional commit message like `no-mistakes(document): update README` (as confirmed in [`internal/pipeline/steps/document_test.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/pipeline/steps/document_test.go) lines 49-52). ## Key Implementation Files The automatic documentation functionality is implemented across several critical files in the kunchenguid/no-mistakes repository: - **[`internal/pipeline/steps/document.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/pipeline/steps/document.go)** – Core implementation of the Document step, including policy definitions and agent interaction logic. - **[`internal/pipeline/steps/document_test.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/pipeline/steps/document_test.go)** – Test suite confirming that documentation updates are automatically committed and restricted to relevant documentation only. - **[`internal/skill/skill.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/skill/skill.go)** – Defines the *document* skill name used within the pipeline (alongside `intent`, `rebase`, `review`, `test`, etc.). - **[`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/AGENTS.md)** – High-level architectural description of the Document step's purpose and its interaction with other pipeline agents. ## Summary - **no-mistakes automatically updates documentation** through a dedicated Document step integrated into its execution pipeline. - The system follows an **authoritative owner policy** that restricts edits to only documentation affected by the current code change. - When `commands.lint` is configured, the Document step merges with the Lint step for efficient housekeeping. - Documentation updates are **auto-committed** with conventional commit messages after user approval of the findings. - The implementation resides primarily in [`internal/pipeline/steps/document.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/pipeline/steps/document.go) and is tested in [`internal/pipeline/steps/document_test.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/pipeline/steps/document_test.go). ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can no-mistakes update all project documentation at once? No. According to the source code in [`internal/pipeline/steps/document.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/pipeline/steps/document.go) (lines 28-34), no-mistakes enforces a strict scope policy that prevents "corpus-sweep" edits. The Document step only touches documentation surfaces that the specific code change directly affects, preserving the one-authoritative-owner discipline and preventing unintended large-scale rewrites. ### How do I run only the documentation step in no-mistakes? Use the targeted step execution command: `no-mistakes axi run --step=document`. This invokes only the Document step without running the full pipeline, which is useful for quick documentation-only updates or when you need to specifically regenerate docs outside the standard change detection workflow. ### What git commit message does no-mistakes use for documentation updates? When documentation findings are approved, no-mistakes automatically commits changes using a conventional commit format like `no-mistakes(document): update README`. This behavior is verified in [`internal/pipeline/steps/document_test.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/pipeline/steps/document_test.go) (lines 49-52), ensuring consistent commit history tracking for automated documentation maintenance. ### Is the documentation step configurable in no-mistakes? Yes. The Document step checks for a `commands.lint` configuration value in your repository settings. If present, it combines documentation updates with linting into a single housekeeping pass (as implemented in [`internal/pipeline/steps/document.go`](https://github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/blob/main/internal/pipeline/steps/document.go) lines 24-29 and 118-125), allowing you to customize how documentation maintenance integrates with your existing quality checks.