> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/guides/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Maintenance > Tips for keeping docs up-to-date In this article, you'll learn strategies for keeping your documentation accurate and valuable over time, from automated checks to content lifecycles. Giant gear ## Automate what you can Documentation rot happens when you rely too much on manual effort to update content. Try to introduce automations where you can, such as: * **Track stale content**: Run a script to flag important docs that haven't been updated in X days. * **Detect product changes**: If your documentation relies on artifacts from engineering like OpenAPI specs, set up a job to detect when key objects change and notify the team. Or, use a documentation provider that [auto-generates APIs](https://mintlify.com/docs/api-playground/openapi/setup#openapi-setup) and automatically updates. * **Enforce standards with linters**: Use [Vale.sh](http://Vale.sh) or [a documentation provider](https://mintlify.com/docs/settings/ci) to automatically catch formatting issues, writing style deviations, or missing metadata on every pull request. * **Use AI to maintain documentation**: AI tools can help identify outdated content, suggest improvements, and keep documentation current with less manual effort. For example, the Mintlify [agent](https://www.mintlify.com/docs/ai/agent) automatically detects when documentation becomes stale based on product changes, and [suggestions](https://www.mintlify.com/docs/ai/suggestions) recommend updates to keep content accurate and comprehensive. These tools work continuously in the background, flagging issues that would otherwise require manual review cycles. ## Set up realistic review processes Documentation will never be perfect, and that's okay. You should have a threshold of acceptance. A level where docs are functional and useful. Instead of aiming for 100%, balance efficiency with quality. * **Trigger reviews based on relevance, not just time**: Rather than setting periodic updates, prioritize content based on usage, search demand, or product changes. * **Focus on high-impact docs**: Not every page needs regular updates, but the 10 most viewed pages for users should get extra attention. * **Lean on your community**: If your docs are open-source, empower users to flag issues or submit fixes via pull requests—it builds trust and keeps content fresh. Incorporate feedback mechanisms in your docs when you can. ## Know when to rewrite Over time, documentation naturally accumulates caveats and workarounds, leading to "spaghetti docs." When incremental fixes create more confusion than clarity, a full overhaul may be the best option. * **Plan for periodic resets**: Every 1-2 years, consider a major cleanup, especially if best practices or the product itself has evolved significantly. * **Start with a structured audit**: Interview support teams, analyze user feedback, and document what's missing, misleading, or redundant before rewriting. * **Tackle rewrites in focused sprints**: A full overhaul doesn't have to happen all at once. Prioritize sections with the biggest impact. ## Wrong docs can be worse than no docs Outdated or misleading documentation wastes users' time and erodes trust. In cases where a doc is completely inaccurate and unfixable in the short term, it's often better to remove it entirely. Users will appreciate having less information over having wrong information.