Quick Start Guide

Get your documentation site up and running in less than 5 minutes! ⚡

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

Check your Node.js version:

node --version

Installation

Install Rhyla globally using npm:

npm install -g rhyla

Or with yarn:

yarn global add rhyla

Verify the installation:

rhyla --version

Create Your First Documentation Site

Step 1: Initialize a New Project

Create a new directory for your documentation:

mkdir my-docs
cd my-docs

Initialize a Rhyla project:

rhyla init

This will create the following structure:

my-docs/
├── config.json          # Site configuration
├── header.html          # Custom header (optional)
├── body/                # Your documentation content
│   └── home.md         # Homepage
├── public/              # Static assets (images, favicon, etc.)
│   ├── favicon.ico
│   └── logo.png
└── styles/              # Custom stylesheets
    ├── dark.css
    ├── light.css
    └── global.css

Step 2: Start Development Server

Launch the development server with hot reload:

rhyla dev

Your documentation will be available at:

http://localhost:3000

The dev server automatically reloads when you make changes to your files! 🔥

Step 3: Create Your First Page

Create a new markdown file in the body/ directory:

# On macOS/Linux
echo "# Getting Started\n\nWelcome to my documentation!" > body/getting-started.md

# On Windows
echo # Getting Started > body\getting-started.md
echo. >> body\getting-started.md
echo Welcome to my documentation! >> body\getting-started.md

Or create it manually with your favorite editor.

Step 4: Configure Sidebar

Edit config.json to add your new page to the sidebar:

{
  "title": "My Documentation",
  "sidebar": [
    "home",
    "getting-started"
  ]
}

Save the file and check your browser - the new page appears in the sidebar automatically! ✨

Your First Organized Documentation

Let's create a more structured documentation:

Create Multiple Pages

# Create a guides folder
mkdir body/guides

# Create guide files
echo "# Basic Tutorial\n\nLearn the basics..." > body/guides/basic.md
echo "# Advanced Tutorial\n\nAdvanced concepts..." > body/guides/advanced.md

# Create API documentation
mkdir body/api
echo "# Authentication\n\nAPI authentication..." > body/api/authentication.md

Update Sidebar with Groups

Edit config.json:

{
  "title": "My Documentation",
  "description": "Awesome project documentation",
  "sidebar": [
    "home",
    "getting-started",
    {
      "title": "Guides",
      "children": [
        "guides/basic",
        "guides/advanced"
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "API Reference",
      "children": [
        "api/authentication"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Build for Production

When you're ready to deploy:

rhyla build

This creates a dist/ folder with your static site:

dist/
├── index.html
├── config.json
├── styles/
├── scripts/
├── public/
└── pages/

Serve Production Build

Test your production build locally:

rhyla serve

Your site will be available at http://localhost:8080

Next Steps

Now that you have a basic site running, explore these features:

🎨 Customize Your Theme

Edit files in the styles/ folder:

🔒 Add Password Protection

Enable authentication in config.json:

{
  "password_doc": {
    "enabled": true,
    "passwords": ["mySecurePassword123"]
  }
}

🏷️ Use Smart Tags

Rename your files to get automatic tags:

📁 Organize with Folders

Create nested folders for better organization:

body/
├── home.md
├── getting-started.md
├── guides/
│   ├── installation.md
│   ├── configuration.md
│   └── deployment.md
├── api/
│   ├── authentication.md
│   ├── endpoints/
│   │   ├── get-users.md
│   │   └── post-login.md
└── releases/
    └── v1.0.0.md

Common Commands Reference

Command Description
rhyla init Initialize a new project
rhyla dev Start development server
rhyla build Build for production
rhyla serve Serve production build

Tips for Success

  1. Write in Markdown - Use standard markdown syntax for all content
  2. Use Descriptive Names - Clear file names make navigation easier
  3. Organize with Folders - Group related content together
  4. Test Locally First - Always test with rhyla dev before building
  5. Version Control - Use Git to track changes to your documentation

Need Help?

What's Next?

You're all set! Here are some suggestions:

  1. Add more content - Create pages for your project
  2. Customize the theme - Make it match your brand
  3. Configure features - Enable password protection, adjust sidebar
  4. Deploy your site - Share your documentation with the world

Happy documenting! 📚✨