Static hosting environments lack dynamic server-side routing engines (such as Nginx rewrite rules). docmd generates native HTML failsafes to handle URL redirection and custom error states automatically.

Server-less HTML Redirects

Forward traffic from legacy URLs to new document destinations by declaring path mappings in the redirects object:

{
  "redirects": {
    "/setup": "/getting-started/installation", 
    "/v1/api": "/api-reference"                  
  }
}

Technical Redirection Mechanism

When declaring a redirect mapping, the compiler generates an index.html file at the target legacy route containing a <meta http-equiv="refresh"> HTML tag:

1. Instant User Redirection: Readers are forwarded to the new destination route instantly upon landing.
2. SEO Equity Preservation: Search engines recognise the meta refresh direction, preserving link equity and indexing authority.
3. Analytics Tracking: Client-side analytics scripts log incoming pageviews prior to redirection.

Custom Branded 404 Error Pages

When visitors request a non-existent URL route, static hosting platforms serve the root 404.html document. docmd compiles a custom 404.html page by default, inheriting your site’s branding, sidebar navigation, and SPA runtime.

Customising 404 Error Content

Customise 404 page titles and error body copy in docmd.config.json:

{
  "notFound": {
    "title": "404: Page Not Found",
    "content": "We couldn't locate the requested page. Use the sidebar navigation to return to active documentation."
  }
}