Introduction

What is technical documentation?

When building projects and software and developing large-scale applications, documentation serves as the fundamental need for effective communication. It helps developers, stakeholders, and end-users navigate complex information about the project itself.

As projects grow, the need for scalable documentation grows as well. Scalable technical documentation can adapt to the needs of the project as it evolves and scales, it supports larger content volume, and also improves team collaboration over time.

In this blog, we will deep-dive into frameworks designed to simplify this process and create flexible, growth-adaptable documentation for teams and end-users.

Also, we will take a look at robust documentation frameworks like MkDocs, Docusaurus, Fuma Docs, VuePress, and Antora that can help teams manage content at scale and optimize maintenance, version control, and user experience.

So in this blog, we first got to know what technical documentation is; now, we will see how to choose the right framework for the same and a brief overview of hands-on examples covering the basics and installation as well; let's get into it!

Choosing the Right Framework for Your Needs

When selecting a documentation framework, a few factors play a crucial role.

We need to consider the ease of use, community support, scalability features, plugin availability, and deployment options that ultimately all contribute to a framework's suitability to our project needs.

For example, projects that prioritize fast setup and minimalism might benefit from Fuma Docs, which is a minimalist framework, while more complex projects requiring version control and multi-language support could find Docusaurus or Antora better suited to their needs.

The right framework is one that will grow with your project, adapting to the demands of your team and user base.

Example 1: Small-to-Mid-Sized Open Source Library Documentation

• Project Description: A developer is building a popular open-source library with simple setup and usage instructions, API references, and some example code snippets. The project is maintained by a small team and does not require extensive version control.

• Suitable Framework: MkDocs

  • Why MkDocs? MkDocs is lightweight, fast, and easy to set up, making it perfect for small to mid-sized documentation sites that need to convey a small amount of information quickly.

  • Features Used:

    • Markdown-based content creation for simplicity

    • Custom themes to match the project's branding

    • Built-in search functionality for quick access to API references and examples

Example 2: Enterprise SaaS Platform with Multi-Version Support

• Project Description: A large enterprise software as a service (SaaS) platform serving various industries, with multiple product versions and extensive documentation requirements, including tutorials, API documentation, and support articles.

• Suitable Framework: Antora

  • Why Antora? Antora is designed for enterprise-level documentation needs. It handles multi-repository, multi-version, and multi-language documentation efficiently, making it ideal for large SaaS products with extensive content requirements.

  • Features Used:

    • Multi-repository support for integrating documentation from various teams

    • Versioning capabilities to maintain clear, accessible versions of the product documentation

    • AsciiDoc support for complex formatting and modular content

Now, let's take a look at each of these frameworks and their use cases in brief, so you can proceed with choosing the best one according to your needs.

Overview of Popular Frameworks for Documentation Sites

Let's dive into the details of some popular frameworks for scalable documentation.

Each of these frameworks offers unique features, benefits, and limitations as well, along with hands-on examples to help you get started!

MkDocs

MkDocs is a simple, fast static site generator built specifically for project documentation. It is known for its lightweight design, making it ideal for small-to-mid-sized projects that prioritize speed and simplicity.

Documentation: https://www.mkdocs.org/user-guide/

Features:

• Markdown support for easy content creation

• Customizable themes to suit branding needs

• A growing plugin ecosystem for added functionalities

• Built-in search functionality

Before moving further, you need to install pip and python to set up all the documentation. Let's get that done first.

So make sure to set up Python and install pip as well; run the following command to install the latest version of pip.

curl https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py -o get-pip.py

Hands-On Example:

With learning all of this, we also need to know how to set up each of these on our local machines, right?

The process is pretty simple. Let's take a look at how we can install mkdocs, set up a new project, and configure it according to our needs in simple steps!

1. Installation: First, install MkDocs by running this on the shell\ pip install mkdocs

2. Create a New Project: Initialize a new MkDocs project with:\ mkdocs new my-project

   cd my-project

   This creates a basic project structure with a docs/ folder for your documentation files and a configuration file called mkdocs.yml.

3. Customize the Configuration: Open the mkdocs.yml file and edit it to define the structure and appearance of your site. You can add navigation links, change the theme, and enable search functionality. For example:\ \ site_name: My Documentation Site

   theme:

   name: readthedocs

   nav:

   • Home: index.md

   • About: about.md

4. Add Content: Inside the docs/ folder, create Markdown files like index.md and about.md to serve as the main pages of your documentation.

5. Run the Site Locally: Start a local server to preview the site:\ mkdocs serve

   The site will be available at [http://localhost:127.0.0.1:8000/

   As you make changes, MkDocs will automatically reload the site in the browser as well.

   Cool, right? Now, let's proceed with building the site!

6. Build the Site: To generate a static site, run:\ mkdocs build

This command outputs the site files to a site/ directory, ready to be deployed to any static hosting provider.

Docusaurus

Originally developed by Facebook, Docusaurus is a powerful documentation framework ideal for complex projects that need features like version control and multi-language support.

Want to know a fun fact about it? Docusaurus is powered by ReactJS!

Documentation: https://docusaurus.io/docs/docs-introduction

Features:

• Strong support for multi-language documentation

• Built-in versioning for projects with frequent updates

• Powerful theming options to align with brand design

Hands-On Example:

Installation: Create a new Docusaurus site using the command:

npx create-docusaurus@latest my-website classic

cd my-website

Configure Sidebar Navigation: In the docs/ folder, create Markdown files for your documentation. To organize these files into a sidebar, go to sidebars.js and structure your sidebar. For example:

module.exports = {

tutorialSidebar: [

'intro',

{

type: 'category',

label: 'Getting Started',

items: ['setup', 'usage'],

},

],

};

Enable Versioning: For projects that need to manage multiple versions of documentation, Docusaurus makes it easy to version your content. Run the following command to create a new version:\ \ npm run docusaurus docs:version 1.0.0

This command creates a versioned_docs/ folder where you can maintain multiple versions of your documentation.

Run and Preview: To view the site locally, run:\ \ npm run start

Docusaurus will serve the site at http://localhost:3000/. Each version will be available as a separate section in the sidebar, allowing users to navigate between versions easily.

Fuma Docs

Fuma Docs is designed with speed and minimalism in mind. It caters to developers who prefer a no-fluff approach and is great for straightforward documentation projects that focus on efficiency.

Documentation: https://fumadocs.vercel.app/docs

Features:

• High-performance static sites

• Minimalist design for easy navigation

• Basic customization options to suit simpler project needs

Hands-On Example:

Creating a Minimal Documentation Site with Fuma Docs

1. Installation: Fuma Docs is simple and lightweight. Install it via npm\ npm install fumadocs

2. Initialize the Project: Set up a basic Fuma Docs project by creating a configuration file, fumadocs.config.js, to define the structure of your site. For example:\ module.exports = {

   siteTitle: 'Fuma Docs',

   theme: 'simple',

   pages: [

   { name: 'Home', path: 'index.md' },

   { name: 'Getting Started', path: 'getting-started.md' },

   ],

   };

3. Add Documentation Pages: Inside the project directory, create Markdown files like index.md and getting-started.md. These files serve as the content for your site.

4. Preview and Deploy: Use a local server to preview your documentation. Since Fuma Docs is very minimal, this setup is fast and ready to deploy to a static site hosting platform with minimal configuration.

VuePress

Built on Vue.js, VuePress is a Vue-powered static site generator. It's particularly well-suited for projects involving Vue.js or where seamless component integration is a priority.

Documentation: https://vuepress.vuejs.org/guide/introduction.html

Features:

• Vue component integration for interactive documentation

• Markdown support with dynamic Vue rendering

• Built-in SEO features for search-friendly content

Hands-On Example: Setting Up a VuePress Site with Custom Components

1. Installation: Start by installing VuePress:\ npm install -g vuepress

2. Project Setup: Inside your project directory, create a docs folder and an index.md file for your documentation content. This serves as the homepage of your documentation site.

3. Create a VuePress Config File: Inside the docs/ folder, add a .vuepress directory and a config.js file. This is where you configure the site:

   module.exports = {

   title: 'My VuePress Site',

   themeConfig: {

   sidebar: [

   '/',

   '/guide/',

   ],

   },

   };

4. Add Vue Components: One of VuePress's key strengths is its ability to embed Vue components directly into Markdown files.

   Inside .vuepress/components/, create a Vue component, MyComponent.vue, and use it in your Markdown files:

   <template>

   <div>This is a custom component in VuePress!</div>

   </template>

5. Run the Site: To preview the site locally, run\ vuepress dev docs

   VuePress will serve the site locally, allowing you to view the interactive Vue components embedded in your documentation.

Antora

Designed for large-scale projects with multiple repositories, Antora provides advanced content versioning and multi-repository support, making it a strong choice for larger organizations.

Documentation: https://docs.antora.org/antora/latest/

Features:

• Multi-repository support for complex projects

• Advanced versioning capabilities

• Flexible deployment options for a variety of environments

Hands-On Example: Setting Up a Multi-Repository Site with Antora

1. Installation: Start by installing Antora's CLI and site generator:\ npm install -g @antora/cli @antora/site-generator-default

2. Configure Your Playbook: Antora uses a playbook file (antora-playbook.yml) to define the structure of your documentation site. This includes information about content sources, site configuration, and output. For example:\ site:

   title: 'My Documentation Site'

   start_page: my-component::index.adoc

   content:

   sources:

   - url: https://github.com/my-org/my-repo.git

   branches: [main]

   start_path: docs

3. Organize Content Across Repositories: Antora is designed to work with content from multiple repositories. For each repository, create AsciiDoc files (e.g., index.adoc). Antora will aggregate these files to create a unified documentation site.

4. Build the Site: Run Antora with your playbook file:\ antora antora-playbook.yml

   This will generate a static site based on your multi-repository content, which is organized by versions, components, and modules. The generated site is ideal for complex documentation needs, such as multiple product versions.

5. Deploy: After building, deploy the output folder to your preferred hosting platform. Antora's multi-repository and multi-version capabilities make it highly scalable and suitable for enterprise documentation.

Comparing Frameworks for Different Use Cases

Each framework has its own strengths, making it suitable for different types of projects. Below is a quick comparison between each one of them:

Framework	Ease of Setup	Ideal Use Case	Scalability Potential	Recommended User Base
MkDocs	Simple	Small to mid-sized documentation sites	Moderate	Developers, Technical Writers
Docusaurus	Moderate	Complex, multi-version documentation	High	Teams with frequent updates
Fuma Docs	Very Simple	Minimalist, fast-loading sites	Low to Moderate	Developers who prefer minimalism
VuePress	Moderate	Vue-powered sites needing interactivity	High	Vue.js projects, Technical Writers
Antora	Advanced	Multi-repository, large-scale docs	Very High	Large teams, enterprise-level projects

Best Practices for Setting Up Scalable Documentation Sites

Regardless of the framework, following best practices can greatly improve your documentation's scalability and usability.

So to conclude the blog, let's talk about some of such best practices that are crucial when improving documentation:

• Organize Content Thoughtfully: Structure content in a way that is easy to read and navigate for users and easy to update for writers. Avoid clutter by grouping related topics together.

• Implement Version Control: This is particularly important for projects with continuous updates. Frameworks like Docusaurus and Antora come with built-in versioning features, which keep content up-to-date and easily accessible for users.

• Collaborate Effectively: Involve both technical writers and developers in the documentation process. This ensures that the content is accurate, easy to understand, and provides a smooth experience for end-users.

Conclusion

Choosing the right documentation framework can have a major impact on the team's workflow, user experience, and overall success of the project.

A scalable framework will not only make documentation easier to maintain but also ensures growth as the project evolves. From MkDocs' simplicity to Antora's multi-repository management, there is a framework for every team and every project size.

Exploring these frameworks to find the best fit for your needs and setting up a scalable documentation site that serves your project now and in the future, is the demand moving forward with 2025.

FAQ

1. What is the best framework for small to medium-sized documentation sites?

• For smaller documentation projects, MkDocs is a great choice because of its simplicity, speed, and easy setup. It's ideal for straightforward documentation with a basic navigation structure and minimal customization needs.

2. Which documentation framework supports multiple versions and multi-language capabilities?

• Docusaurus and Antora are both strong options for projects requiring multi-version and multi-language support. Docusaurus is particularly well-suited for projects with regular updates, while Antora is ideal for complex, enterprise-level documentation involving multiple repositories.

3. Can I integrate Vue components directly into my documentation site?

• Yes, VuePress allows for Vue component integration, which is perfect for projects that need interactive elements or are already using Vue.js in development.

4. How can I deploy my documentation site?

• Most frameworks, such as MkDocs, Docusaurus, and Antora, generate static files that can be deployed to any static hosting platform, such as GitHub Pages, Netlify, or Vercel.