The Snippet List I Hand to Contractors Before Their First Commit

When a new contractor joins a project for a short period, the main challenge isn't the code itself, but understanding the context. The code is present in the repository, but the knowledge is within the heads of long-term team members, which isn't easily transferred. The author no longer writes wiki onboarding pages; instead, they provide contractors with a curated list of commands, configs, and one-liners they'll need within the first 48 hours.

This list, stored in snippetx and shared as a plain-text export, is a more effective onboarding tool than a traditional wiki page. The wiki page fails because it's written for readers who don't have the questions yet, explaining architecture, conventions, and deploy processes, but not the immediate, concrete questions a contractor might have.

The snippet list answers these questions directly, in the form they'll use them (commands typed in the terminal). Each entry in the list is a specific action the contractor will take, not a concept to learn, making it a practical map of the first 48 hours of work. The list is small, containing around 10-20 entries, and is shared as a plain-text file that's version-controlled in the repository or sent via chat.

This approach has led to a reduction in first-day questions, faster contractor productivity, and a continuously improving list based on real first-day experiences. The terminal, where the contractor works, should be the medium for onboarding, with the wiki page handling the conceptual context and the snippet list handling the operational context.