Answer Ledger Pattern
Answer ledgers turn recurring questions into searchable, linkable answers. Stand up your ledger or Browse the runbooks index.
- What: Structured, searchable list of recurring questions with their current canonical answers.
- Why: Saves time, reduces interruptions, and accelerates onboarding by turning chatter into linkable knowledge.
- When: After a question is answered twice, or when a decision needs a stable reference others can reuse.
What it is
A searchable log of questions teams ask repeatedly, with:
- The question (as commonly phrased)
- The current answer
- When it was last updated
- Who to ask for clarification
Why use it
- Saves time: Answer once, link forever
- Onboards faster: New joiners self-serve
- Reduces interruptions: Async > tapping on shoulder
- Tracks drift: When answers change, you notice
Format example
markdown
## How do we handle API versioning?
**Answer:** We use URL path versioning (e.g., `/v1/users`, `/v2/users`).
Breaking changes require a new version. Non-breaking changes can be added
to existing versions.
**Last updated:** YYYY-MM-DD
**Owner:** @handle
**Related:** [API Guidelines](./api-guidelines)