How to deploy Minidocs to GitHub Pages?

Use the CLI with --full-html flag to generate static HTML files for each route, or enable hash routing in the JS module. The README provides steps with gh-pages for easy deployment.

Minidocs or Jekyll for documentation?

Minidocs is simpler and faster for markdown-only docs with minimal configuration, while Jekyll offers more features and a larger plugin ecosystem. Choose based on your need for flexibility versus simplicity.

How to add custom styling to a Minidocs site?

Use the --css option in the CLI to include a custom stylesheet, or specify it in the JS module options. This allows branding without modifying core files, as shown in the examples.

Does Minidocs support search functionality?

No, Minidocs does not include built-in search. You would need to implement it separately or use external services, as it focuses on static content generation from markdown.

Can I use Minidocs with Webpack instead of Browserify?

The JS module relies on a Browserify transform, so integration with Webpack is not straightforward. You might need custom configuration or stick to the CLI for builds, limiting modern tooling compatibility.

Is Minidocs good for large documentation projects?

It can handle large sites, but lacks features like versioning or advanced navigation. For complex needs with multi-language support or dynamic content, a more robust generator is recommended.

Open-Awesome

minidocs

MITJavaScript

Generate a minimalist documentation site from markdown files and a table of contents JSON.

GitHub

137 stars13 forks0 contributors

What is minidocs?

Minidocs is a minimalist static site generator that builds documentation websites from markdown files and a JSON table of contents. It solves the problem of creating clean, navigable documentation sites without the complexity of larger frameworks, focusing on simplicity and ease of use for developers who already write docs in markdown.

Target Audience

Developers and technical writers who need a straightforward way to publish markdown-based documentation with a structured table of contents, especially those working on open-source projects or internal tools.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Minidocs for its simplicity and opinionated approach, which reduces configuration overhead compared to more complex generators like Jekyll, while still offering essential features like custom styling and easy deployment.

Overview

build a minimalist site for your documentation

Use Cases

Best For

Converting a folder of markdown files into a navigable documentation site
Creating lightweight documentation for open-source JavaScript projects
Building internal documentation portals with minimal setup
Generating static sites that integrate with tools like ecosystem-docs for GitHub README aggregation
Deploying documentation to static hosting services like Surge.sh or GitHub Pages
Projects that prefer a simple, JSON-driven table of contents over complex configuration

Not Ideal For

Documentation sites requiring built-in search or advanced navigation features
Teams with non-technical writers who need a visual editor for content updates
Projects that rely on a rich ecosystem of plugins or themes for extensibility

Pros & Cons

Pros

Lightweight Simplicity

Minidocs is intentionally minimalist compared to generators like Jekyll, making it easy to set up and reason about for quick documentation builds.

Markdown-First Approach

Built entirely around markdown files, it leverages a standard format for developer docs, reducing the learning curve for teams already using markdown.

Dual Usage Modes

Offers both a command-line tool for fast static generation and a JavaScript module for custom integration, providing flexibility in workflows.

Easy Static Deployment

Includes CLI options like --pushstate and --full-html for seamless hosting on services like Surge.sh and GitHub Pages, as detailed in the README.

Cons

Limited Theming Options

The README admits theme support is 'coming soon,' so users must write custom CSS for styling, lacking out-of-the-box themes.

Browserify Dependency

The JS module requires a specific Browserify transform, which may not integrate well with modern bundlers like Webpack or Vite, adding complexity.

Minimal Feature Set

As an opinionated tool, it lacks advanced features such as built-in search, analytics, or plugins, making it unsuitable for complex documentation needs.

Open Source Alternative To

minidocs is an open-source alternative to the following products:

Sphinx

Jekyll

Jekyll is a static site generator written in Ruby that transforms plain text into static websites and blogs, commonly used with GitHub Pages.

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