hdoc
A modern documentation generator for C++ that automatically creates API docs with integrated Markdown pages and instant search.
What is hdoc?
hdoc is a modern documentation tool specifically built for C++ projects. It automatically generates API documentation from source code using an advanced LLVM/Clang-based parser and integrates Markdown pages into a unified static website. It solves the problem of keeping documentation up-to-date with code changes by enabling easy CI integration.
C++ developers and teams who need to maintain comprehensive, up-to-date documentation for their codebases, especially those using modern C++ features and CI/CD pipelines.
Developers choose hdoc for its fast, static HTML output with no JavaScript requirement, its deep understanding of modern C++ via Clang, and its ability to seamlessly combine API docs with Markdown pages in one searchable site.
Overview
The modern documentation tool for C++.
Use Cases
Best For
- Automatically generating API documentation for large C++ codebases
- Integrating Markdown documentation with API references in a single site
- Adding documentation generation to CI/CD pipelines for C++ projects
- Creating fast, static documentation sites without JavaScript dependencies
- Documenting modern C++ projects with advanced language features
- Enabling instant search across a C++ codebase's symbols and documentation
Not Ideal For
- Projects requiring robust Windows support with guaranteed functionality
- Teams preferring permissive open-source licenses like MIT or Apache
- Small C++ projects that need only basic documentation without CI integration
- Multi-language codebases where C++ is just one component
Pros & Cons
Pros
Uses an advanced LLVM/Clang-based parser to understand the newest C++ features, ensuring accurate documentation for modern codebases.
Integrates Markdown pages with autogenerated API documentation in a single static site, keeping all docs in one searchable place.
Designed for easy integration into CI pipelines, allowing documentation to be automatically updated with each build, as highlighted in the features.
Generates fully static HTML without required JavaScript, ensuring fast loading and minimal dependencies for end-users.
Cons
Windows support is unofficial and not tested by the team, with hdoc-online.exe reportedly non-functional due to linking issues, as admitted in the README.
Requires LLVM/Clang and OpenSSL, which can complicate setup, especially on non-Linux systems, and adds overhead to the build process.
Available under AGPLv3, which may be too restrictive for some commercial projects, requiring a custom license for more permissive use.
Open Source Alternative To
hdoc is an open-source alternative to the following products:
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
DoxygenOfficial doxygen git repository
Natural DocsNatural Docs source code documentation system
DoxideModern documentation for modern C++. Configure with YAML, output Markdown, post-process with Material for MkDocs.
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