Show HN: docmd – A Zero-Dependency Documentation Generator
I'd like to share a small project I've been working on called docmd. It's a command-line tool written in Node.js that generates clean, fast, and lightweight static documentation sites directly from Markdown files.
The core idea was to create something that gets out of your way. I found myself wanting a documentation tool that didn't require a complex setup with React, bundlers, or a large ecosystem of dependencies. I wanted to just write Markdown and have it turn into a beautiful, functional website.
docmd is an alternative for those who find tools like Docusaurus or Mintlify to be more than they need. It has no client-side framework dependencies, resulting in lightning-fast page loads and a simple build process.
Here are the core features:
- Zero Client-Side Frameworks: Generates plain HTML, CSS, and minimal vanilla JS. This makes sites extremely fast and lightweight.
- Standard Markdown: Uses standard Markdown with YAML frontmatter for metadata. No special syntax to learn.
- Single Executable: Install it via npm, and the docmd command is all you need (init, dev, build).
- Rich Components Out-of-the-Box: Includes built-in, pre-styled components like callouts, cards, tabs, and step-by-step guides using a simple container syntax (::: callout info).
- Theming & Dark Mode: Comes with multiple built-in themes and a light/dark mode toggle that works automatically.
- Built-in Plugins: Includes essential plugins for SEO, sitemaps, and analytics without needing external packages.
- No-Style Pages: An option to create completely custom landing pages with full control over the HTML, while still using the docmd build process.
- Deploy Anywhere: The output is a standard site/ folder that you can deploy to GitHub Pages, Netlify, Vercel, or any static host.
The entire documentation site for the project is, of course, built with docmd itself. You can see a live demo here: https://docmd.mgks.dev
The project is open source, and the code is on GitHub: https://github.com/mgks/docmd
I'm here to answer any questions you might have. I would genuinely appreciate any feedback, thoughts, or critiques you have on the approach, the features, or the code itself. If you find the project useful, a star on GitHub would be a great encouragement.
Thank you for taking a look.