Markdown In. Documentation Out.
Docsmith is a documentation management system built directly into ExpressionEngine. Create documentation libraries, organize related products into groups, write or import Markdown, reuse shared snippets, publish changelogs and licenses, and even surface internal documentation inside the EE publish form.
No separate docs platform. No disconnected workflow. Just documentation managed alongside the site it supports.
Build Documentation Libraries
Each Docsmith library is a complete documentation set, typically for one product, add-on, or project.
Create the library and Docsmith handles the short name and public URL structure automatically. Each library gets its own navigation, versions, pages, search index, and optional license and changelog content.
Write in Markdown
Create documentation pages directly in Docsmith or import existing Markdown to get moving faster.
Markdown is preserved as the source while Docsmith generates the rendered HTML and search data it needs. Import a larger document and Docsmith can turn individual ## H2 sections into separate documentation pages automatically.
Group Related Documentation
Combine multiple libraries into a single documentation portal.
Groups let you bring related products, add-ons, or internal resources together beneath one URL while keeping each individual library available on its own. That makes it easy to build anything from a product documentation hub to a complete developer portal.
Customize the Front End
Docsmith uses one shared native ExpressionEngine template group for libraries, groups, pages, search, layouts, and 404s.
Starter CSS and JavaScript are included, and your own styling overrides can live in docsmith-custom.css so future asset refreshes can leave your customizations intact.
Build from the starter templates or take complete control of the presentation yourself.
Additional Features
Shared instructions should not have to be copied into every documentation page. Docsmith Snippets let you maintain reusable pieces of Markdown independently and insert them anywhere with simple tokens like [[snippet:system-requirements]].
Add License Markdown to any library and Docsmith automatically creates a dedicated /license page. The generated page becomes part of the library’s search index and navigation system, with template variables available for linking to it anywhere else on the site.
Add Changelog Markdown to a library and Docsmith generates a dedicated /changelog page, adds it to search and navigation, and makes the changelog available through its own template tag. Snippets work here too, so recurring release notes or compatibility information stay easy to maintain.
Not every piece of documentation belongs on the public website. Docsmith groups can be configured for external documentation, internal Control Panel help, or both. Internal groups can be assigned to specific channels, giving editors access to the documentation that matters to them right where they work.