How to use the command 'mkdocs' (with examples)
The mkdocs command is a tool used for project documentation with Markdown. It allows you to easily create and serve project documentation in a user-friendly format. With mkdocs, you can create, build, and deploy your documentation, making it accessible to your audience. In this article, we will explore different use cases of the mkdocs command and provide examples for each use case.
Use case 1: Create a new mkdocs project
Code:
mkdocs new project_name
Motivation: Creating a new mkdocs project is the first step in setting up your project’s documentation. With this command, you can quickly generate a new project with the specified name.
Explanation:
new- This sub-command is used to create a new mkdocs project.project_name- This is the name you want to give to your mkdocs project. It should be a valid name that represents your project.
Example output:
The mkdocs new project_name command will create a new folder named project_name in the current directory. Inside this folder, you will find the basic structure of a mkdocs project, including a docs folder and a mkdocs.yml configuration file.
Use case 2: Serve the project in the current directory using the mkdocs dev-server
Code:
mkdocs serve
Motivation: Serving your mkdocs project is useful when you want to preview your documentation locally before deploying it. The dev-server allows you to view real-time changes as you work on your documentation.
Explanation:
serve- This sub-command is used to serve your mkdocs project using the internal dev-server.
Example output:
Running the mkdocs serve command will start the dev-server, and you will see a message indicating that your documentation is being served at a local address, usually http://127.0.0.1:8000/. You can open this URL in your web browser to view your documentation.
Use case 3: Build the documentation in the current directory
Code:
mkdocs build
Motivation: Building your mkdocs project is necessary before deploying it. This command generates a static HTML version of your documentation that can be easily deployed to a web server.
Explanation:
build- This sub-command is used to build your mkdocs project.
Example output:
Executing the mkdocs build command will generate a new site folder in the current directory. This folder contains all the static HTML files, JavaScript, CSS, and other assets needed to run your documentation.
Use case 4: Deploy the documentation in the current directory to GitHub pages
Code:
mkdocs gh-deploy
Motivation: Deploying your mkdocs project to GitHub pages allows you to make your documentation accessible to a wider audience. It hosts your documentation as a GitHub repository, making it easy to update and share.
Explanation:
gh-deploy- This sub-command is used to deploy your mkdocs project to GitHub pages.
Example output:
When you run the mkdocs gh-deploy command, it will build your project and push the generated files to a repository on GitHub in the gh-pages branch. Once the deployment is complete, you will see a message indicating the successful deployment, along with the URL where your documentation can be accessed.
Conclusion:
The mkdocs command is a powerful tool for creating, serving, building, and deploying project documentation using Markdown. Its various sub-commands enable you to efficiently manage your documentation lifecycle. By following the examples provided in this article, you can get started with using the mkdocs command and effectively showcase your projects with well-documented documentation.
