Documentation Platforms and Static Site Generators

Once you've written your brilliant Markdown (.mdx) files, you need a system to turn that plain text into a beautiful, searchable website. This system is typically a Documentation Platform or a Static Site Generator (SSG) tailored for docs.

The Shift: From Word Processors to Code

A key difference in modern technical writing is that your documentation is treated like code. It's stored in a repository, built by a program, and deployed via automation. This offers huge benefits in speed, consistency, and collaboration.

The Two Main Approaches

Platform Type	Description	Best For	Examples
SaaS/Cloud Platforms	All-in-one solutions that handle editing, hosting, and publishing entirely within a web interface. Less setup, less customization.	Small teams, non-technical writers, and rapid deployment.	Confluence, ReadMe, Help Scout
Static Site Generators (SSGs)	Programs that take your source files (Markdown, images) and convert them into simple HTML/CSS/JS files, which are fast and cheap to host.	Developers, technical writers, open-source projects, and high customization needs.	Docusaurus, Next.js, Hugo, MkDocs

Why SSGs?

SSGs are the darlings of modern tech documentation because they are incredibly fast, highly secure (since they generate no server-side code), and align perfectly with development workflows (Git).

Deep Dive: Key SSG Features for Technical Docs

When choosing an SSG (like the one running CodeharborHub), look for these critical features designed specifically for documentation:

1. Versioning (The Time Machine)

The most vital feature. Products change quickly, but your users need documentation for the version they are currently using.

• Concept: Allows you to freeze the state of your documentation for a specific product version (e.g., v1.0, v2.0).
• User Impact: A user on an older product version can view accurate, corresponding instructions without seeing features that don't exist yet.
• How it Works: The SSG manages separate directories for each version (e.g., docs/v1.0, docs/v2.0).

2. Search (The North Star)

If users can't find it, it doesn't exist. Effective documentation platforms integrate powerful, full-text search.

• Local Search: Some small SSGs use client-side search (using only JavaScript).
• External Search: Most professional sites use dedicated indexing services (like Algolia or ElasticSearch) that integrate seamlessly into the platform's UI. This is usually faster and more accurate.

3. Navigation and Structure

A good platform automatically manages the relationship between your files and the site structure.

• Sidebar Generation: Creates the hierarchical sidebar based on your file structure and a simple configuration file (_sidebar.yml or similar).
• Table of Contents (TOC): Automatically generates the right-hand TOC based on your H2, H3, and H4 headings within a Markdown file, making long pages digestible.

4. Custom Components (MDX)

As a technical writer, you'll often need more than just text. MDX allows you to embed interactive elements:

• Tabs: Displaying code snippets in different languages (e.g., JavaScript, Python) that a user can switch between.
• Callouts/Admonitions: Custom blocks for Note, Warning, Tip, and Danger that look better than standard blockquotes.

Callout Example in a tool like Docusaurus

:::tip
Remember to clear your cache after updating the firmware!
:::

Static Site Generators (SSGs)

SSGs are the developer's choice. They compile your content into static HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files during a "build" process. The resulting site is incredibly fast, secure, and easily version-controlled.

Feature	Description	Best For	Examples
Content Format	Markdown (MDX)	Engineers writing documentation alongside code.	Docusaurus (React-based, great for versioning), MkDocs (Python/simple), Jekyll (Ruby/GitHub Pages).
Pros	Speed (lightning fast), Security (no server-side database), Cost-effective (often free to host).	Companies with GitHub/Git workflow maturity and developers willing to manage the setup.	Docusaurus, MkDocs, Hugo
Cons	Setup complexity (requires Node.js, Python, or Go knowledge), No built-in editor (you edit in Markdown files).	Writers with minimal coding experience or teams needing an editor.

Why SSGs ?

Static sites are the standard for modern API and product documentation because they integrate perfectly with the development team's existing Git workflow. Your documentation is treated as code (Docs-as-Code).

Deployment: From Localhost to Live Site

The final step is getting your documentation online. This is where the "Static" part of SSG shines.

1. Local Build: You run a command (e.g., npm run build or mkdocs build).
2. Asset Generation: The SSG processes your Markdown and creates a folder full of .html, .css, and .js files.
3. Hosting: You upload that entire folder to a web server (like Netlify, Vercel, or GitHub Pages). Since there's no server-side processing, the hosting is simple, fast, and secure.

Hosted, Cloud-Based Solutions

These platforms provide a full, all-in-one service: the editor, the hosting, and the search functionality. They are designed to get documentation live quickly with minimal setup.

Feature	Description	Best For	Examples
Content Format	Web Editor (WYSIWYG or Markdown)	Small teams or companies prioritizing speed-to-market and simplicity.	Document360, Help Scout, Zendesk Guide, GitBook.
Pros	Zero setup/maintenance, Built-in authoring tools (no local environment needed), Excellent collaboration and permissions.	Teams where technical writers and support agents co-author and non-technical stakeholders must contribute.	GitBook, Document360
Cons	Vendor lock-in (content lives on their servers), Less customization of the final design/UI.	Teams with strict design requirements or complex data integration needs.

Why Hosted Solutions?

Hosted documentation platforms are ideal for teams that want to focus on content creation without worrying about the technical aspects of site generation and deployment. They offer a user-friendly interface and built-in features that streamline collaboration and publishing.

Component Content Management Systems (CCMS) & Headless CMS

These are the enterprise solutions, built for extreme scale, content reuse, and complex workflows.

A. CCMS (Component CMS)

CCMS tools like Paligo or MadCap Flare focus on Single-Sourcing and Topic-Based Authoring (DITA). This means you write small, reusable topics that are pulled into different documents.

• Best For: Manufacturing, Aerospace, Finance, or any environment with high regulatory needs, complex product families, or extreme language/localization requirements.

B. Headless CMS

A Headless CMS (Contentful, Strapi) is purely a content repository—it provides the "body" of the content via an API, but no "head" (frontend website).

• Best For: Companies needing to publish the same content to a website, a mobile app, and a chatbot simultaneously (omnichannel delivery). The content is authored once and pulled into multiple frontends.

Choosing Your Platform: Key Questions

Question	SSG (Docusaurus/MkDocs)	Hosted (GitBook/Document360)	CCMS (Paligo/Flare)
What is your budget?	Low (free software, pay for simple hosting).	Mid-High (per-user subscription fees).	Very High (significant annual enterprise license).
Who will be writing/contributing?	Developers and Technical Writers (Markdown).	Anyone (simple web editor).	Technical Writers and Subject Matter Experts.
Do you need versioning (v1.0, v2.0)?	Yes, Native and excellent.	Yes, usually good, sometimes an add-on.	Yes, Essential and core functionality.
Do you need extreme content reuse?	Possible, but requires complex template logic.	Limited, typically page-by-page.	Yes, this is their core purpose.