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Quick Overview
mdBook is a command-line tool and Rust library for creating modern online books from Markdown files. It's designed to be easy to use, customizable, and produces clean, responsive HTML output. mdBook is widely used in the Rust community for documentation and tutorials.
Pros
- Simple and intuitive to use, with a focus on Markdown-based content
- Highly customizable through themes, preprocessors, and renderers
- Supports interactive code examples and playground integration
- Generates fast, lightweight, and mobile-friendly HTML output
Cons
- Limited built-in features compared to some more complex documentation systems
- Primarily focused on single-book output, not ideal for multi-book documentation sites
- Customization beyond basic theming requires Rust knowledge for advanced features
- Limited support for non-Rust code highlighting and playground integration
Code Examples
- Creating a new book:
use mdbook::MDBook;
fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
let mut book = MDBook::new(".")?;
book.build()?;
Ok(())
}
- Customizing book configuration:
use mdbook::config::{Config, BookConfig};
fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
let mut cfg = Config::default();
cfg.book.title = Some("My Custom Book".to_string());
cfg.book.authors = vec!["John Doe".to_string()];
let mut book = MDBook::load_with_config(".", cfg)?;
book.build()?;
Ok(())
}
- Adding a custom preprocessor:
use mdbook::preprocess::{Preprocessor, PreprocessorContext};
use mdbook::book::Book;
struct MyPreprocessor;
impl Preprocessor for MyPreprocessor {
fn name(&self) -> &str {
"my-preprocessor"
}
fn run(&self, ctx: &PreprocessorContext, book: Book) -> Result<Book, mdbook::errors::Error> {
// Custom preprocessing logic here
Ok(book)
}
}
fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
let mut book = MDBook::load(".")?;
book.with_preprocessor(Box::new(MyPreprocessor));
book.build()?;
Ok(())
}
Getting Started
To use mdBook, first install it via cargo:
cargo install mdbook
Then create a new book:
mdbook init my-book
cd my-book
Add your content to the src directory, then build and serve the book:
mdbook build
mdbook serve --open
This will open your new book in a web browser.
Competitor Comparisons
🃏 A magical documentation site generator.
Pros of docsify
- No build process required; runs entirely in the browser
- Easier to set up and get started quickly
- More flexible theming and plugin system
Cons of docsify
- Slower initial page load, especially for large documentation sites
- Less suitable for offline use or static site generation
- Limited built-in search capabilities compared to mdBook
Code Comparison
mdBook configuration (book.toml):
[book]
authors = ["Author Name"]
language = "en"
multilingual = false
src = "src"
title = "My Book"
docsify configuration (index.html):
<script>
window.$docsify = {
name: 'My Documentation',
repo: 'username/repo',
loadSidebar: true,
subMaxLevel: 2
}
</script>
Both mdBook and docsify are popular documentation tools, each with its own strengths. mdBook offers a more traditional static site generation approach, while docsify provides a lightweight, browser-based solution. The choice between them depends on specific project requirements, such as build process preferences, offline capabilities, and desired customization options.
Project documentation with Markdown.
Pros of MkDocs
- Written in Python, making it more accessible to a wider range of developers
- Extensive theme customization options and a large ecosystem of plugins
- Supports multiple output formats, including PDF and EPUB
Cons of MkDocs
- Slower build times for large documentation projects
- Less integrated with version control systems compared to mdBook
- Requires Python and its dependencies to be installed
Code Comparison
MkDocs configuration (mkdocs.yml):
site_name: My Docs
theme:
name: material
plugins:
- search
mdBook configuration (book.toml):
[book]
authors = ["John Doe"]
language = "en"
multilingual = false
src = "src"
title = "My Book"
Both tools use simple configuration files, but MkDocs offers more extensive customization options through its YAML format, while mdBook's TOML configuration is more concise and focused on essential settings.
MkDocs and mdBook are both popular static site generators for creating documentation. MkDocs is more flexible and feature-rich, while mdBook is faster and more lightweight, making it ideal for Rust projects and simpler documentation needs. The choice between them depends on the specific requirements of your project and your preferred programming language ecosystem.
The open source frontend for GitBook doc sites
Pros of Gitbook
- More feature-rich with a wider range of integrations and plugins
- User-friendly interface with WYSIWYG editor for non-technical users
- Collaborative features for team-based documentation
Cons of Gitbook
- Closed-source and paid for advanced features
- Less customizable and flexible compared to mdBook
- Steeper learning curve for developers used to working directly with Markdown
Code Comparison
mdBook configuration (book.toml):
[book]
authors = ["John Doe"]
language = "en"
multilingual = false
src = "src"
title = "My Book"
Gitbook configuration (book.json):
{
"title": "My Book",
"author": "John Doe",
"language": "en",
"plugins": ["search", "github"]
}
Summary
mdBook is an open-source, lightweight solution ideal for developers comfortable with Markdown and simple configurations. It offers fast build times and easy customization. Gitbook provides a more comprehensive platform with collaborative features and a user-friendly interface, but at the cost of flexibility and potential vendor lock-in. The choice between the two depends on the specific needs of the project and the team's technical expertise.
The Sphinx documentation generator
Pros of Sphinx
- Extensive ecosystem with numerous extensions and themes
- Supports multiple output formats (HTML, PDF, ePub, etc.)
- Advanced cross-referencing and indexing capabilities
Cons of Sphinx
- Steeper learning curve, especially for non-Python users
- Configuration can be complex for advanced features
- Slower build times for large projects compared to mdBook
Code Comparison
Sphinx (conf.py):
project = 'My Project'
extensions = ['sphinx.ext.autodoc', 'sphinx.ext.napoleon']
html_theme = 'alabaster'
mdBook (book.toml):
[book]
authors = ["Author Name"]
language = "en"
multilingual = false
src = "src"
Key Differences
- Language: Sphinx is Python-based, while mdBook is written in Rust
- Documentation focus: Sphinx excels in API documentation, mdBook is more suited for general-purpose documentation
- Customization: Sphinx offers more extensive customization options, while mdBook provides a simpler, more streamlined experience
- Performance: mdBook generally offers faster build times, especially for smaller projects
- Output formats: Sphinx supports a wider range of output formats out-of-the-box
Both tools are popular choices for documentation, with Sphinx being more feature-rich and flexible, while mdBook offers simplicity and speed. The choice between them often depends on project requirements, team expertise, and desired documentation complexity.
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mdBook
mdBook is a utility to create modern online books from Markdown files.
Check out the User Guide for a list of features and installation and usage information. The User Guide also serves as a demonstration to showcase what a book looks like.
If you are interested in contributing to the development of mdBook, check out the Contribution Guide.
License
All the code in this repository is released under the Mozilla Public License v2.0, for more information take a look at the LICENSE file.
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