# Diátaxis — pick one mode

Before drafting, name the document's **one** Diátaxis mode. Mixing modes in one page is the usual failure.

| Mode | Reader need | Shape |
|---|---|---|
| Tutorials | Learn by doing | Ordered steps that produce a working result |
| How-to guides | Get a job done | Goal-oriented procedure; assumes they know the product |
| Reference | Look up a fact | Exhaustive, structured, no narrative |
| Explanation | Understand why | Concept, context, tradeoffs; not a procedure |

If the request spans two modes, split into two docs or two sections with a heading that names the mode. Do not write a tutorial that is secretly reference.