Hackmamba Technical Writing Glossary

This technical writing glossary is a practical guide for anyone who writes or edits technical content.

It breaks down the principles we use to make our writing clear, confident, and easy to follow. You'll find practical examples, style rules, and habits that help you explain complex ideas in a way developers actually enjoy reading.

Whether you're part of a content team, a developer writing docs, or a developer marketer learning to write for technical audiences, this glossary shows how to make your work sound polished, credible, and genuinely useful.

The glossary is organized into five parts:

  1. 1. Writing mindset — How to think like a technical communicator.
  2. 2. Structure and flow — How to organize ideas so they move naturally.
  3. 3. Teaching and explanation — How to help readers actually learn, not just follow.
  4. 4. Sentence craft — How to make each line clear, concise, and purposeful.
  5. 5. Reasoning and argument — How to guide readers through logic and insight that feels earned.

Each section opens into short entries with examples, so you can explore them as building blocks of good technical writing.

Writing Mindset

Learning posture means approaching writing and editing with curiosity. It's the mindset that every draft, review, or revision can reveal something new about the topic or the reader.

Example

❌

I've written enough API docs to know how this should sound.

✅

Let's check the latest API behavior. It might have changed since our last piece.

Why this is important

Technology changes quickly. Writers who stay curious keep content accurate and perspectives current. A learning posture prevents stagnation and encourages discovery.

How to apply it

  • •Re-verify technical claims, even in familiar areas.
  • •Collaborate with engineers or product managers to refresh context.
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