A Para Mode file is a Texinfo file. Minimally, you need a `top' node in the file. The node name `top' must be followed by a comma.
A top node looks like the following, except that in the source version of this file, two `@' are used together, so Emacs does not interpret this example as a node:
@node Top,
Of course, the node should also list the `Next', `Previous' and `Up' pointers. Fortunately, you do not have to do this yourself. If you use the `C-c C-p a' (para-add-node) command, the pointers and immediate menu are updated. And you employ the `C-c C-p m' (para-make-master-menu) command to update every node pointer and menu and create a master menu. See section Using the Main Menu.
With its next, previous, and up pointers, a top node looks like this:
@node Top, Next-node, (dir), (dir)
You may also include a header at the beginning of a Para Mode file.
You can see the heading at the beginning of this file by typing `C-c C-p C-b' (para-beginning). (You can return to this node by typing `C-c C-p C-l' (para-last).) Strictly speaking, such a full heading is not necessary for Para Mode, but it is useful. The heading is standard for Texinfo source files.
The `\input texinfo' in the first line is for when you run TeX on the file. The command tells TeX to use the texinfo.tex macro file. The `-*-para-*-' in the first line is a mode specification that causes Emacs to select Para mode automatically when you load the file.