Software Systems Documentation: A Systematic Review

In the domain of software engineering, software documentation encompasses the methodical creation and management of artifacts describing software systems. Traditionally linked to software maintenance, its significance extends throughout the entire software development lifecycle. While often regarded as a quintessential indicator of software quality, the perception of documentation as a time-consuming and arduous task frequently leads to its neglect or obsolescence. This research presents a systematic review of the past decade's literature on software documentation to identify trends and challenges. Employing a rigorous systematic methodology, the study yielded 29 primary studies and a collection of related works. Analysis of these studies revealed two primary themes: issues and best practices, and models and tools. Findings indicate a notable research gap in the area of software documentation. Furthermore, the study underscores several critical challenges, including a dearth of automated tools, immature documentation models, and an insufficient emphasis on forward-looking documentation.