[DOCS]: GA Documentation Review & End-to-End Validation Audit

[crivetimihai]

🧪 Chore Summary

Conduct a comprehensive end-to-end documentation review and validation audit for the MCP Gateway v1.0 GA release.
The chore covers quick-starts, upgrade paths, API references, CHANGELOG/breaking-changes, and automated link & spell checks. The goal is a green, reproducible walkthrough on clean machines and a signed release checklist that certifies the docs are production-ready.

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🧱 Areas Affected

• Docs repo structure (docs/, tutorials, reference, nav)
• Quick-Start guides (Docker, Helm/Kubernetes)
• Upgrade guide 0 .9 → 1 .0
• API contracts (OpenAPI & A2A schema publishing)
• CHANGELOG / Release notes (breaking changes, deprecations)
• CI tooling (markdown-lint, link checker, spell checker)
• Doc validation tests (copy-paste snippets exercised in CI)
• External beta-tester script (community walkthrough)

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⚙️ Context / Rationale

1. 1.0 == “production-ready.” Clear, accurate docs are as critical as code.
2. Support load. Every broken snippet turns into an issue or Slack thread.
3. Spec freeze. Publishing locked OpenAPI/A2A schemas gives SDK authors stability.

Current	Target
Quick-Start tested only on Ubuntu	Works on macOS, Windows, Ubuntu
No formal upgrade doc	Step-by-step Helm diff + DB migration steps
API docs under /latest only	Frozen copy under /docs/1.0/
Link checker optional in CI	Mandatory & fails PR on broken links

flowchart TD
    subgraph AuditPipeline
        A[Markdown / Link Lint] --> B[Snippet Runner<br/>markdown-exec]
        B --> C[Peer Review Checklists]
        C --> D[External Beta Walkthroughs]
        D --> E[GA Sign-off]
    end

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📋 Acceptance Criteria

• Quick-Start Docker guide produces a running gateway on fresh host.
• Quick-Start Helm guide deploys to local KinD or k3d cluster.
• Upgrade 0.9 → 1.0 doc verified on staging database dump.
• /docs/1.0/openapi.yaml & /docs/1.0/a2a.json published and match running server.
• CHANGELOG lists all breaking flags, env vars, and API removals.
• CI job docs-check passes (markdown-lint, link check, spell check, snippet exec).
• Release checklist signed by DevRel, Ops, Security, Community representatives.

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🛠️ Task List

1. Freeze docs-freeze/1.0 branch and lock changes to PRs.

2. Add GitHub Action docs-check.yml

   • markdownlint-cli2
   • lychee (dead-link scan)
   • codespell
   • mdexec to run fenced-code snippets.

3. Rewrite Quick-Start with copy-paste blocks; test on Ubuntu + macOS + Windows VM.

4. Draft upgrade.md; exercise on a 0.9 backup → verify zero-downtime.

5. Generate frozen API specs (make export-openapi, make export-a2a) into /docs/1.0/.

6. Update mkdocs nav and version selector.

7. Produce CHANGELOG 1.0.0 section; cross-check closed issues labelled breaking.

8. Run peer checklist (see table below) – owners tick items.

9. Organise beta-tester session; capture feedback, patch docs.

10. Merge into main, tag v1.0.0, upload docs to site.

Checklist Item	Owner	Status
Quick-Start Docker	DevRel	☐
Quick-Start Helm	DevRel	☐
Upgrade guide	Ops	☐
API spec export	Eng	☐
CHANGELOG review	Release Mgr	☐
Security wording	Security	☐
Link/spell pass	CI bot	☐
External beta OK	Community	☐

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🔄 Roll-out Plan

• Phase 0: branch freeze
• Phase 1: automated lint/link/spell in CI
• Phase 2: peer review & checklist sign-offs
• Phase 3: external beta walkthroughs
• Phase 4: GA sign-off, merge & tag

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