I need docs that can handle breaking schema changes

If your docs need to “handle breaking schema changes,” the key is to make the docs versioned, change-aware, and migration-friendly. Here’s a practical approach you can use.

What to include in the docs

1. Versioned schema reference

Document each schema version separately:

• Current version
• Previous supported versions
• Deprecated versions
• End-of-life date if applicable

Example structure:

# Schema v3

## Overview
## Fields
## Validation rules
## Examples
## Migration from v2
## Breaking changes from v2

2. Explicit breaking change notes

For every breaking change, clearly state:

• what changed
• why it changed
• who is affected
• how to migrate

Example:

## Breaking changes in v3

- `user_name` renamed to `username`
- `age` changed from string to integer
- `address` is now required

### Migration
- Replace `user_name` with `username`
- Convert `age` values to integers
- Ensure `address` is always present

3. Changelog with severity

Maintain a changelog that labels changes as:

• Breaking
• Deprecated
• Added
• Fixed

Example:

## Changelog

### v3.0.0
- Breaking: removed `middleName`
- Breaking: `status` enum expanded and renamed
- Added: `preferred_language`

### v2.4.0
- Deprecated: `legacy_id`

4. Migration guides

For each breaking version, include a migration guide with:

• before/after examples
• code snippets
• API payload examples
• field mapping tables

Example:

v2 field	v3 field	Notes
user_name	username	renamed
age	age	type changed string → int

5. Compatibility matrix

Show which clients/tools support which schema versions.

| Client version | Supports schema v1 | v2 | v3 |
|---|---:|---:|---:|
| 1.2.x | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2.0.x | No | Yes | Yes |

6. Validation and examples

Include sample payloads for each version and note which are valid/invalid.

## Valid example for v3
{ ... }

## Invalid example for v3
{ ... }

7. Deprecation policy

Make the lifecycle explicit:

• announce deprecation
• support both schemas for a transition period
• provide warnings
• remove after sunset date

---

Best practices for docs that survive schema changes

• Separate schema definition from business explanation
• Keep old versions accessible
• Use machine-readable schema files if possible
• Auto-generate docs from source of truth when feasible
• Mark optional vs required fields clearly
• Document field renames as aliases if supported

---

Recommended doc layout

# API / Schema Documentation

1. Overview
2. Version history
3. Current schema
4. Previous versions
5. Breaking changes
6. Migration guides
7. Compatibility matrix
8. Deprecation policy
9. FAQs

If you want, I can also give you:

1. a ready-to-use docs template,
2. a schema versioning policy, or
3. a migration guide example for JSON / YAML / SQL schemas.