A documentation index lists important resources with stable titles, links, and concise descriptions. A complete index may group content by product area, task, version, or audience, making it easier for an AI agent to choose the right document without searching every page.
Indexes should be generated or reviewed against the current documentation set so they do not point to removed, duplicated, or outdated pages. They work best when each destination has a clear canonical URL, useful heading structure, and an accessible text representation.
ELI5
A documentation index is an organized list that points people and software to the correct guides, references and explanations. It uses clear titles, links and short descriptions so users can find the authoritative page for a task or version.
For example, an AI coding agent can read an index to choose the current authentication guide instead of searching every page. The index should be checked against the real documentation so removed or outdated links do not mislead users.
