raphaelr / node_nanodoc

Very simple HTML documentation generator

nanodoc

Very simple HTML documentation generator

nanodoc creates documentation from a HTML template and a bunch of Markdown input files. It does not strive to be be feature-rich, so it does not automatically push your stylesheets through SASS/Stylus. Instead, it aims to be fast and simple to use.

Usage

$ npm install nanodoc
$ cp -r node_modules/nanodoc/template/doc .
$ vim doc/input/index.md
$ node_modules/.bin/nanodoc
$ your_browser doc/output/index.html

You don't even need to launch a server!

Navigation

If it exists, nanodoc reads the file doc/input/_navigation.md (or .markdown) and passes it to the template. You have to create it manually, although procedural generation of a navigation tree is possible, it is hard to sort it the way the user wants.

Useful notes

• Everything in the doc/data folder, including subdirectories, except the template.html are copied into the doc/output folder.
• Every .md and .markdown file in the input folder is fed into showdown and jqtpl, and the result is stored in the doc/output folder. Subdirectories become dots, e.g. doc/input/api/god-object.md becomes doc/output/api.god-object.html.
• The doc/output directory is purged everytime nanodoc runs.
• The title of the HTML files is the first Level-1 header (i.e. <h1>) of the input file.
• For best results, don't use absolute paths on Windows when using the API.

template.html substitutions

• content: The HTML of the input file
• title: The title of the input file, see above
• navigation: The navigation tree HTML

Requirements

• node.js (obviously)
• The dependencies listed in package.json.

Roadmap

• Automatic regeneration of the output directory if the input changes (long-term)

License

Copyright (c) 2012, Raphael Robatsch
All rights reserved.

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

• Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
• Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
• The names of the authors and contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS AND CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.