[Lightning Talk] Julia Evans - Can we (sometimes) go back to print documentation?

Print documentation can still be a smart choice when the subject matter is stable—especially for foundational concepts that won’t churn as fast as APIs and tooling. Julia Evans, who runs a solo publishing company that turns large technical topics into compact 24-page comics, argues that the “everything changes every week” reality of modern software doesn’t invalidate print so much as it narrows where print works best. The key is selecting material that is core and durable: Unix permissions, the most important API endpoints and how they relate, or other product fundamentals that have historically stayed true for years.

Evans’ central test is practical: when documenting something intended for print, aim for topics that are unlikely to change for at least three years. That doesn’t mean ignoring change entirely—it means recognizing that not everything in a technical ecosystem is moving at the same speed. Many systems have layers where compatibility is built in, and those layers are ideal candidates for print. In container technology, for example, the surrounding ecosystem may feel “frothy” and fast-moving, but the core mechanics are implemented in the Linux kernel, which benefits from backwards-compatibility guarantees. The result is that key container behaviors are comparatively resistant to sudden redesign, making them suitable for documentation that can be handed to someone and still hold up later.

The same logic applies to protocols. The HTTP protocol’s fundamental behavior is not expected to shift dramatically anytime soon, so documenting it in a durable format can remain useful long after publication. Evans also highlights a documentation advantage that comes from focusing on stable components: it becomes easier to identify the parts that matter and the interactions between them. Instead of chasing every minor variation, documentation can emphasize the key relationships—such as how components communicate during a system call—often using diagrams or comics to show message flow between parts.

That stability unlocks a second benefit: time. When the content is unlikely to change, authors can invest more effort into clarity and completeness, producing documentation that genuinely helps readers over the long term. Evans describes receiving feedback that printed materials feel personal—like they were drawn by hand, printed, and given directly to the reader—creating a break from the constant noise of online information. In her view, print isn’t a replacement for digital documentation everywhere; it’s a targeted tool for capturing the parts of computing that are meant to last.