Tech writing stuff

CleanShot X

A macOS app for screenshots, scrolling capture, screen recording, GIFs and OCR, with annotation and cloud share links. Paid: $29 one-time, or a Pro subscription for unlimited cloud.

Doc Detective

Doc Detective tests your documentation to make sure every command, example, and instruction still works, so your users don’t get stuck.

Flameshot

A free, open-source screenshot tool with built-in annotation: arrows, text, highlights and blur. Runs on Linux, Windows and macOS.

Gifox

A macOS app that records your screen straight to GIF. The free tier caps recordings at 10 seconds and adds a watermark. Pro is a one-time purchase.

GoFullPage

A Chrome extension that captures a full scrolling web page in one click. Free; Premium adds editing, annotation and PDF export.

Greenshot

A free, open-source screenshot tool for Windows with annotation, highlighting and blur. Sends captures straight to Office apps, Jira, Confluence and other destinations. A paid macOS version is on the App Store.

Jamstack site generators

A community-maintained showcase of open source static site generators, with stars and language listed for each. One way to build a portfolio site from code instead of a site builder.

Kap

A free, open-source screen recorder for macOS. Exports to GIF, MP4, WebM or APNG, with plugins for sharing.

KM Institute

KM Institute is dedicated to researching, defining, publishing and sharing KM knowledge in a variety of formats truly suited to learner needs. KMI Programs provide what expert KM practitioners need to know to carry out successful enterprise KM; and what all KM Professionals need to know for greater career success in the Knowledge Age.

Lightshot

A free screenshot tool for Windows and macOS. Select an area, mark it up, then save it or upload it for a shareable link.

Lotus Docs

A free, open-source Hugo theme for documentation sites, built on Bootstrap 5. It includes dark mode, multilingual support and search through Algolia DocSearch, which integrates with Algolia's free tier.

Markdown to LaTeX to PDF template

A LaTeX template that lets you write in Markdown and publish to PDF. You keep one source that converts cleanly for online systems and still typesets properly for print. Open source on GitHub.

Monosnap

A screenshot and screen-recording app for Windows and macOS with annotation, blur and GIF recording. The free personal plan includes 2 GB of cloud storage for share links.

Rspress

A free, open-source static site generator for documentation, built on Rsbuild and Rust. It supports MDX with React components, builds its own full-text search index, and can generate an llms.txt index for AI tools.

Savvyshot

A screenshot editor for Windows and macOS that adds padding, shadows and backgrounds so captures look presentation-ready. OCR auto-redacts email addresses. The free version adds a watermark.

ScreenPal

A screen recorder and video editor for tutorials and walkthroughs, with webcam and narration. The free plan has recording limits; paid plans add editing and hosting.

ScreenshotEdits

A screenshot editor for the web and macOS: blur, crop, annotate, redact and add gradient backgrounds. The web app is free with daily export limits; the Mac app is free with a small watermark.

ShareX

A free, open-source Windows app for screenshots, screen recordings and GIFs, with built-in annotation and OCR. It can upload each capture automatically to dozens of destinations.

Shottr

A fast macOS screenshot app with scrolling capture, OCR, annotation and on-screen measuring tools. Free to use; after 30 days it asks you to buy a $12 one-time license.

Technical Writer Projects

A technical writer's working portfolio kept as a GitHub repository. Each project lists its purpose, the skills it demonstrates, and the finished document. One way to run a portfolio without building a website.

Technical writing style guide

A thin template style guide for product, technical and user-facing documentation: structure, templates, language standards and accessibility requirements a team can actually apply without a style council.

Write the Docs

A global community for people who care about documentation. Conferences, local meetups, a busy Slack, and guides on documentation careers and practice.

Xnapper

A macOS screenshot app that centers captures on a background and redacts sensitive details such as emails. Free with a watermark; a one-time license removes it.