The Command Line Interface (CLI) is the primary way you will interact with docmd while building and testing your documentation.

docmd init

Initializes a new docmd project in your current directory.

Usage:

docmd init

This command safely generates the necessary boilerplate to get you started without overwriting existing files. It creates:

• A docs/ folder containing a sample index.md file.
• An assets/ folder structure for your custom CSS, JS, and images.
• A modern docmd.config.js file pre-filled with sensible defaults.
• A package.json file with standard build scripts.

docmd dev

Starts a local development server with hot-reloading.

Usage:

docmd dev [options]

This is the command you will use most often. It builds your site into memory, starts a local web server (usually at http://localhost:3000), and watches your docs/ folder and config file. Whenever you save a file, it instantly rebuilds the changes and triggers a live reload in your browser.

Options:

• -c, --config <path>: Specify a custom path to your configuration file (defaults to docmd.config.js).
• -p, --port <number>: Force the server to start on a specific port. If the port is busy, docmd will ask if you want to try the next available one.

docmd build

Compiles your Markdown files into a production-ready static website.

Usage:

docmd build [options]

This command reads your source directory, processes all Markdown and assets, minifies CSS/JS, and outputs a complete static website into your site/ folder (or whatever you defined as your outputDir). The resulting folder can be uploaded to any static web host.

Options:

• -c, --config <path>: Specify a custom configuration file.
• --offline: Optimizes the generated HTML links to end in /index.html so the site can be browsed directly from a local hard drive without a web server (using file:/// protocols).

docmd migrate

Upgrades an older configuration file to the newest architecture.

Usage:

docmd migrate

If you are upgrading from an older version of docmd that used a “flat” configuration structure, this command will intelligently rewrite your config file to the modern layout.

• It creates a safe backup named docmd.config.legacy.js.
• It maps your old settings into the new layout, optionsMenu, and footer objects.
• It preserves your existing plugins and navigation arrays.

docmd live

Builds and launches the browser-based Live Editor.

Usage:

docmd live [options]

This command bundles the core docmd engine into a standalone web application. It starts a local server where you can write Markdown in a split-pane view and see the rendered documentation instantly, demonstrating our isomorphic browser engine.

Options:

• --build-only: Generates the dist/ folder containing the Live Editor but does not start the local server. Use this if you want to host the Live Editor itself on a platform like GitHub Pages.

Global Options

These flags can be appended to any command.

• -v, --version: Displays the currently installed version of docmd.
• -h, --help: Displays help information and available options for the CLI.