In a static environment, there is no server-side logic (like .htaccess or Nginx rules) to handle routing. docmd solves this by generating native HTML failsafes that handle redirection and error states automatically.

Server-less Redirects

You can forward traffic from old URLs to new destinations by defining a mapping in the redirects object.

module.exports = defineConfig({
  redirects: {
    '/setup': '/getting-started/installation', // Redirect /setup to new path
    '/v1/api': '/api-reference'                  // Forward legacy API links
  }
});

Technical Implementation

When you define a redirect, docmd creates a directory and an index.html at the old path containing a <meta http-equiv="refresh"> tag. This ensures:

1. Humans are redirected instantly after the page loads.
2. Search Engines recognize the canonical link to the new content.
3. Analytics are preserved across the transition.

Branded 404 Pages

When a user accesses a non-existent URL, most static hosts (Netlify, Vercel, GitHub Pages) look for a 404.html file in the root. docmd automatically generates this file, ensuring that it inherits your theme, sidebar, and Single Page Application (SPA) functionality.

Customizing the Error Content

You can customize the 404 messaging in your configuration:

module.exports = defineConfig({
  notFound: {
    title: '404: Lost in the Docs',
    content: "We couldn't find the page you're looking for. Use the sidebar to find your way back."
  }
});