docsify

🃏 A magical documentation site generator.

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Quick Overview

Docsify is a lightweight, flexible documentation site generator. It dynamically loads and renders Markdown files, allowing you to create beautiful documentation websites with minimal setup and without the need for static HTML files.

Pros

Easy to set up and use, with no build process required
Highly customizable through themes and plugins
Supports full-text search out of the box
Renders content on-the-fly, resulting in fast page loads

Cons

Limited SEO capabilities due to its single-page application nature
Requires JavaScript to be enabled in the browser
May not be suitable for very large documentation projects
Lacks built-in versioning support

Code Examples

Basic Docsify configuration:

window.$docsify = {
  name: 'My Documentation',
  repo: 'https://github.com/username/repo',
  loadSidebar: true,
  subMaxLevel: 2
};

Adding a custom plugin:

window.$docsify.plugins = [
  function(hook, vm) {
    hook.beforeEach(function(content) {
      return content.replace(/\!\[image\]\((.*?)\)/g, '![image]($1 ":size=50%")');
    });
  }
];

Configuring full-text search:

window.$docsify = {
  search: {
    maxAge: 86400000,
    paths: 'auto',
    placeholder: 'Type to search',
    noData: 'No Results!',
    depth: 6
  }
};

Getting Started

To get started with Docsify, follow these steps:

Install Docsify CLI globally:
```
npm i docsify-cli -g
```
Initialize a new documentation site:
```
docsify init ./docs
```
Create a README.md file in the docs folder with your content.
Start the local server:
```
docsify serve docs
```
Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:3000 to see your documentation site.

Competitor Comparisons

vuepress

22,485

📝 Minimalistic Vue-powered static site generator

Pros of VuePress

Built-in Vue.js integration for powerful component-based development
Static site generation for improved performance and SEO
Extensive plugin ecosystem and theming capabilities

Cons of VuePress

Steeper learning curve, especially for those unfamiliar with Vue.js
Requires build step, which can slow down development process
More complex setup compared to Docsify's simplicity

Code Comparison

VuePress configuration (.vuepress/config.js):

module.exports = {
  title: 'My Documentation',
  description: 'A VuePress site',
  themeConfig: {
    nav: [{ text: 'Home', link: '/' }]
  }
}

Docsify configuration (index.html):

<script>
  window.$docsify = {
    name: 'My Documentation',
    repo: '',
    loadSidebar: true
  }
</script>

Key Differences

VuePress generates static HTML files, while Docsify is a runtime-only solution
VuePress offers more advanced customization options but requires more setup
Docsify is easier to get started with and doesn't require a build process
VuePress has better performance for larger sites due to its static nature
Docsify is more lightweight and suitable for smaller documentation projects

docusaurus

55,406

Easy to maintain open source documentation websites.

Pros of Docusaurus

Built-in search functionality and versioning support
Extensive plugin ecosystem and customization options
Strong support for React-based development

Cons of Docusaurus

Steeper learning curve, especially for non-React developers
Requires more setup and configuration compared to Docsify
Heavier build process and larger output size

Code Comparison

Docsify (index.html):

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="//unpkg.com/docsify/themes/vue.css">
</head>
<body>
  <div id="app"></div>
  <script src="//unpkg.com/docsify/lib/docsify.min.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

Docusaurus (docusaurus.config.js):

module.exports = {
  title: 'My Site',
  tagline: 'A website for my project',
  url: 'https://your-docusaurus-site.example.com',
  baseUrl: '/',
  onBrokenLinks: 'throw',
  favicon: 'img/favicon.ico',
  organizationName: 'your-org',
  projectName: 'your-project',
};

Summary

Docsify offers simplicity and ease of use, making it ideal for quick documentation setups. Docusaurus provides more advanced features and customization options, but requires more initial setup and knowledge of React. Choose based on project complexity and team expertise.

mkdocs

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Project documentation with Markdown.

Pros of MkDocs

Generates static HTML sites, allowing for easier hosting and faster load times
Supports themes and extensions for enhanced customization
Offers built-in search functionality out of the box

Cons of MkDocs

Requires Python installation and knowledge for setup and usage
Needs manual rebuilding and redeployment when content changes

Code Comparison

MkDocs configuration (mkdocs.yml):

site_name: My Docs
theme: material
nav:
  - Home: index.md
  - About: about.md

Docsify configuration (index.html):

<script>
  window.$docsify = {
    name: 'My Docs',
    loadSidebar: true,
    subMaxLevel: 2
  }
</script>

Summary

MkDocs is a powerful static site generator for documentation, offering more features and customization options. It's ideal for larger projects with complex documentation needs. Docsify, on the other hand, is simpler to set up and doesn't require rebuilding, making it suitable for smaller projects or quick documentation needs. The choice between the two depends on the project's requirements, team expertise, and desired level of customization.

slate

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Beautiful static documentation for your API

Pros of Slate

Offers a sleek, three-column layout optimized for API documentation
Supports multiple programming languages with syntax highlighting
Generates static HTML pages for easy hosting and deployment

Cons of Slate

Steeper learning curve, requiring Ruby knowledge for customization
Less flexible for non-API documentation use cases
More complex setup process compared to Docsify

Code Comparison

Slate (Ruby):

require 'middleman'
require 'middleman-syntax'
require 'middleman-autoprefixer'
require 'middleman-sprockets'
require 'rouge'
require 'nokogiri'

Docsify (JavaScript):

window.$docsify = {
  name: 'My Documentation',
  repo: 'https://github.com/username/repo',
  loadSidebar: true,
  subMaxLevel: 2
};

Slate focuses on generating static API documentation with a specific layout, while Docsify provides a more flexible, lightweight solution for various documentation types. Slate requires more setup and Ruby knowledge but offers a polished look for API docs. Docsify is easier to set up and customize but may require additional plugins for advanced features. The choice between the two depends on the specific documentation needs and the development team's expertise.

mkdocs-material

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Documentation that simply works

Pros of mkdocs-material

More customizable with extensive theming options
Better search functionality with built-in search engine
Supports multiple languages and internationalization

Cons of mkdocs-material

Requires Python installation and setup
Slower to get started compared to docsify's simplicity
More complex configuration and maintenance

Code Comparison

mkdocs-material:

theme:
  name: material
  features:
    - navigation.tabs
    - search.suggest
  palette:
    primary: indigo

docsify:

<script>
  window.$docsify = {
    name: 'My Documentation',
    repo: 'username/repo',
    loadSidebar: true
  }
</script>

mkdocs-material offers more advanced configuration options in its YAML file, allowing for detailed customization of the theme and features. docsify, on the other hand, uses a simpler JavaScript configuration object, which is easier to set up but provides fewer built-in options for customization.

Both projects aim to simplify documentation creation, but they cater to different needs. mkdocs-material is better suited for larger projects requiring extensive customization and advanced features, while docsify excels in simplicity and ease of use for smaller projects or quick documentation setups.

gridea

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✍️ A static blog writing client (一个静态博客写作客户端)

Pros of Gridea

Provides a user-friendly GUI for content management and site customization
Supports multiple themes and plugins for enhanced customization
Offers built-in image management and optimization features

Cons of Gridea

Limited to static site generation, lacking real-time rendering capabilities
Requires local installation and setup, which may be less convenient for some users
Has a smaller community and ecosystem compared to Docsify

Code Comparison

Gridea (Vue.js component):

<template>
  <div class="post-list">
    <div v-for="post in posts" :key="post.id" class="post-item">
      <h2>{{ post.title }}</h2>
      <p>{{ post.excerpt }}</p>
    </div>
  </div>
</template>

Docsify (Markdown with custom syntax):

# My Documentation

## Getting Started

{docsify-updated}

- [Quick Start](quickstart.md)
- [Writing More Pages](more-pages.md)

While Gridea focuses on providing a complete static site generator with a GUI, Docsify offers a lightweight, real-time documentation solution. Gridea is better suited for users who prefer a visual interface and more traditional blogging features, while Docsify caters to developers looking for a simple, fast way to create documentation sites directly from Markdown files.

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README

A magical documentation site generator.

Gold Sponsor via Open Collective

Docsify turns one or more Markdown files into a Website, with no build process required.

Features

No statically built html files
Simple and lightweight
Smart full-text search plugin
Multiple themes
Useful plugin API
Emoji support

Quick Start

Get going fast by using a static web server or GitHub Pages with this ready-to-use Docsify Template, review the quick start tutorial or jump right into a CodeSandbox example site with the button below.

Showcase

A large collection of showcase projects are included in awesome-docsify.

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md.

Backers

Thank you to all our backers! ð [Become a backer]

Contributors

This project exists thanks to all the people who contribute. [Contribute].

License

MIT

Special Thanks

A preview of Docsify's PR and develop branch is Powered by Vercel

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Quick Overview

Pros

Cons

Code Examples

Getting Started

Competitor Comparisons

Pros of VuePress

Cons of VuePress

Code Comparison

Key Differences

Pros of Docusaurus

Cons of Docusaurus

Code Comparison

Summary

Pros of MkDocs

Cons of MkDocs

Code Comparison

Summary

Pros of Slate

Cons of Slate

Code Comparison

Pros of mkdocs-material

Cons of mkdocs-material

Code Comparison

Pros of Gridea

Cons of Gridea

Code Comparison

Convert designs to code with AI

README

Features

Quick Start

Showcase

Links

Contributing

Backers

Sponsors

Contributors

License

Special Thanks

Top Related Projects

Convert designs to code with AI

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