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# Archivox: Final Specification
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# Archivox
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Archivox is a lightweight static site generator aimed at producing documentation sites similar to "Read the Docs". Write your content in Markdown, run the generator, and deploy the static files anywhere.
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[](https://github.com/yourusername/Archivox/actions/workflows/ci.yml)
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**Version:** 1.0
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**Date:** July 10, 2025
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**Overview:** Archivox is a modular, lightweight static site generator (SSG) for building "Read the Docs"-style documentation sites. It prioritizes user simplicity: content is driven entirely by Markdown files in a `content` folder, which automatically determines page structure, titles, and sidebar links. No manual HTML, link creation, or complex setups are needed. The site is mobile-friendly, SEO-optimized, and deployable to Netlify or similar hosts.
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## Features
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- Markdown based pages with automatic navigation
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- Responsive layout with sidebar and search powered by Lunr.js
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- Simple configuration through `config.yaml`
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- Extensible via plugins and custom templates
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Built with Node.js (using libraries like Eleventy for templating, `marked` or `remark` for Markdown parsing, and Vanilla JS for client-side features), Archivox generates static HTML/CSS/JS files. It's extensible via plugins and config, but defaults to a minimal, fast workflow.
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This final spec incorporates core features, enhancements for usability and performance, and explicit user instructions. It's designed to be implemented as an open-source GitHub repo with a CLI starter kit (e.g., `npx create-archivox my-site`).
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## Quick Start
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## Getting Started
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Install the dependencies and start the development server:
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```bash
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# install dependencies and start the dev server
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npm install
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npm run dev
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```
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# build the static site
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The site will be available at `http://localhost:8080`. Edit files inside the `content/` directory to update pages.
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To create a new project from the starter template you can run:
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```bash
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npx create-archivox my-docs --install
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```
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## Building
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When you are ready to publish your documentation run:
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```bash
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npm run build
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```
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The generated site is placed in the `_site/` folder.
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## Key Features
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## Customization
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- **`config.yaml`** – change the site title, theme options and other settings.
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- **`plugins/`** – add JavaScript files exporting hook functions such as `onPageRendered` to extend the build process.
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- **`templates/`** – modify or replace the Nunjucks templates for full control over the HTML.
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- **Markdown-Driven Content and Navigation**:
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- Pages from `.md` files; folder structure builds the sidebar tree automatically.
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- Supports nested sections (YAML frontmatter for overrides like titles or order).
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- Index files (e.g., `index.md`) as section landings; alphabetical sorting with numeric prefixes for custom order.
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## Hosting
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Upload the contents of `_site/` to any static host. For Netlify you can use the provided `netlify.toml`:
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- **UI and Responsiveness**:
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- Collapsible sidebar with expandable sections, breadcrumbs, and mobile hamburger menu.
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- Header: Customizable logo, site title, version switcher.
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- Footer: Links, copyright, social icons.
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- Search: Client-side fuzzy search (Lunr.js) with highlighting; optional no-results suggestions.
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- Page Layout: Auto-TOC from headings, right sidebar for wide screens.
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- **Customization**:
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- `config.yaml` for site title, logo, themes, footer, dark mode, analytics.
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- Shortcodes in Markdown for embeds (e.g., images, tabs, notes).
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- Themes: CSS variables; pre-built options like "minimal".
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- Multi-Versioning: Folder-based (e.g., `content/v1/`), with UI switcher.
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- **Performance and Accessibility**:
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- Minified assets, lazy images, service workers for offline.
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- WCAG-compliant: ARIA labels, keyboard nav, contrast checks.
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- Incremental builds for fast dev.
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- **Extensibility**:
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- Plugins for analytics, comments, API docs.
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- Hooks for custom processing.
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- i18n support via subfolders.
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- **Search and Analytics**:
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- Advanced search with stemming.
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- Optional metrics (e.g., Plausible integration).
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## Architecture
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1. **Generator Flow**:
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- Scan `content/` recursively.
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- Parse Markdown with frontmatter (`gray-matter`).
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- Build nav JSON tree.
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- Render pages with templates (Nunjucks).
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- Optimize/copy assets.
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- Output to `_site/`.
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2. **Tech Stack**:
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- Node.js 18+.
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- Dependencies: Eleventy (core), marked/remark, Lunr.js, gray-matter.
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- Dev: Live reload with Vite or Eleventy server.
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- No runtime deps; pure static output.
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3. **Modularity**:
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- Core: Content parsing/nav generation.
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- Plugins: Load from `plugins/` (e.g., JS modules with hooks like `onParseMarkdown`).
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## Folder Structure
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```
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my-archivox-site/
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├── content/ # Markdown-driven content
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│ ├── introduction.md # Top-level: "Introduction"
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│ ├── getting-started/ # Section: "Getting Started"
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│ │ ├── index.md # Section overview
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│ │ ├── 01-install.md # Sub-page: "Install" (numeric order)
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│ │ └── image.png # Asset (referenced in MD)
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│ └── advanced/ # Section: "Advanced"
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│ └── api/ # Nested: "API"
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│ └── endpoints.md # Sub-page: "Endpoints"
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├── config.yaml # Site settings
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├── assets/ # Custom static files
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│ └── logo.svg # Logo
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├── plugins/ # Optional extensions
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│ └── analytics.js # Example plugin
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├── netlify.toml # Deployment config
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└── _site/ # Built output (git-ignored)
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```toml
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[build]
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command = "npm run build"
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publish = "_site"
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```
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- **Content Rules**:
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- Max nesting: 4 levels.
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- File names: Hyphens/underscores to spaces for titles (e.g., `quick-start.md` -> "Quick Start").
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- Assets: Place in content subfolders; reference relatively in MD.
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## Documentation
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See the files under the `docs/` directory for a more complete guide to Archivox features, customization and deployment options.
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## Configuration File (config.yaml)
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Example:
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```yaml
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site:
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title: "Archivox Docs"
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description: "Simple static docs."
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logo: "/assets/logo.svg"
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favicon: "/assets/favicon.ico"
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navigation:
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search: true
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versions: # Optional
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- label: "v1.0"
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path: "/v1"
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footer:
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links:
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- text: "GitHub"
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url: "https://github.com"
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social:
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- icon: "twitter"
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url: "https://x.com"
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copyright: "© 2025 Archivox"
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theme:
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name: "minimal"
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primaryColor: "#007bff"
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darkMode: true # Auto/system toggle
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features:
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i18n: false # Enable for multi-lang
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analytics:
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provider: "plausible"
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id: "my-site.io"
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pluginsDir: "plugins" # Folder for custom plugins
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plugins:
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- "analytics" # Load from plugins/
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```
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- **Defaults**: Sensible fallbacks if absent.
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- **Validation**: Build-time checks.
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## Navigation and UI Details
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- **Sidebar**: Tree view, highlight active, filterable on search.
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- **Header**: Logo + Title + Search + Version Switcher + Dark Toggle.
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- **Page**: Markdown-rendered body + Auto-TOC + Edit Link (GitHub).
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- **Markdown Extensions**: GFM + Shortcodes (e.g., `{% image src="image.png" %}`, `{% note "Title" %}Content{% endnote %}` for admonitions, `{% tabs %}...{% endtabs %}`).
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- **Accessibility**: Alt text prompts, print styles.
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## User Instructions: Formatting and Placing Markdown
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To make Archivox truly user-friendly, include these instructions in the starter repo's `README.md` (which can render as a self-hosted "Getting Started" page). Emphasize simplicity: "Just write Markdown—no code required."
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### Placing Files and Folders
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- **Create Sections**: Use folders for top-level sections (e.g., `content/guides/`). Subfolders nest subsections (e.g., `content/guides/basics/`).
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- **Add Pages**: Place `.md` files inside folders. File name becomes the page title (e.g., `setup.md` -> "Setup"). Avoid special chars; use hyphens for spaces.
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- **Section Overviews**: Add `index.md` in a folder for its landing page (e.g., `content/guides/index.md` as "Guides" intro).
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- **Custom Ordering**: Prefix files/folders with numbers (e.g., `01-intro.md`, `02-setup.md`) for sorting; alphabetical otherwise.
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- **Assets**: Put images/PDFs in the same folder as the referencing MD file. Reference relatively: ``.
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- **Nesting Limits**: Keep to 3-4 levels max for usability; deeper may collapse in UI.
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- **Multi-Version**: Prefix folders like `content/v1/`, `content/v2/`; config enables switcher.
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- **Multi-Language (Optional)**: Use `content/en/`, `content/fr/` if `features.i18n: true`; add lang switcher.
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### Configuring Versions and Languages
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- Add available versions under `navigation.versions` in `config.yaml` and create matching folders (e.g., `content/v1/`, `content/v2/`).
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- Enable multiple languages by setting `features.i18n: true` and using subfolders such as `content/en/` or `content/fr/`.
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### Formatting Markdown Content
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- **Basics**: Use standard Markdown:
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- `# Heading 1` for main titles (auto-generates page TOC).
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- `## Subheading` for sections.
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- `- Bullet lists` or `1. Numbered`.
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- `**Bold**`, `_italic_`, `~~strikethrough~~`.
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- Code: Inline `` `code` `` or blocks:
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```
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```python
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print("Hello")
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```
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```
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- Links: `[Text](url)` (internal: `[Link](/path)`, auto-resolved).
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- Tables:
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| Col1 | Col2 |
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|------|------|
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| Val | Val |
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- **Enhancements**:
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- **Frontmatter**: Optional YAML at top for overrides:
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```
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---
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title: Custom Title
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order: 3 # Override sorting
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description: SEO meta
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---
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# Your content...
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```
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- **Shortcodes**: For richer elements (no extra setup needed):
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- Images: `{% image src="path.jpg" alt="Desc" caption="Fig 1" %}` (auto-optimizes).
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- Notes/Warnings: `{% note "Info" %}Text{% endnote %}`, `{% warning %}Caution{% endwarning %}`.
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- Tabs: `{% tabs %}<br>{% tab "Tab1" %}Content1{% endtab %}<br>{% tab "Tab2" %}Content2{% endtab %}<br>{% endtabs %}`.
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- Accordions: `{% accordion "Section" %}Hidden content{% endaccordion %}`.
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- **Embeds**: YouTube: `[Video](https://youtube.com/watch?v=ID)` (renders iframe).
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- **Best Practices**:
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- Use H1 (#) once per page for main title.
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- Add alt text to images for accessibility.
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- Keep paragraphs short for mobile readability.
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- Test embeds/assets locally.
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- For code snippets, add copy buttons via shortcode: `{% code lang="js" %}code{% endcode %}`.
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### Tips for Success
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- **Preview Changes**: Run `npm run dev` for live site at localhost:8080.
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- **Common Issues**: If a page doesn't show, check file extension (.md) and no duplicate names.
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- **Advanced**: For custom shortcodes, add plugins; else, stick to basics.
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## Build and Deployment
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- **Commands** (via package.json):
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- `npm install`: Setup.
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- `npm run dev`: Local server.
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- `npm run build`: Generate `_site/`.
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- **Netlify**:
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- `netlify.toml`:
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```toml
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[build]
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command = "CI= npm run build" # Avoid CI treating warnings as errors
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publish = "_site"
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```
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- Connect the repo to Netlify by selecting **New site from Git** in your Netlify dashboard and picking this repository. Netlify will read `netlify.toml` so no extra setup is required. Once linked, pushes to `main` automatically build and deploy the site and pull requests get preview URLs.
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- Ensure the generated `_site/` folder is git-ignored (see `.gitignore`) so deployments always use a fresh build.
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- **Other Hosts**: Upload `_site/` to GitHub Pages, Vercel, etc.
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## Extensibility Roadmap
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- **Plugins**: JS files in `plugins/` with hooks (e.g., add shortcodes, post-build tasks).
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- **Themes**: Customize variables in `assets/theme.css` or override styles in `assets/custom.css`. A built-in dark-mode toggle stores preference in local storage.
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- **Future**: PDF export plugin, AI-assisted search suggestions.
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- **Community**: MIT license; GitHub for issues.
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## Creating Custom Plugins
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Plugins are plain Node.js modules placed in the folder defined by `pluginsDir`.
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Each module can export hook functions which Archivox calls during the build:
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```js
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module.exports = {
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// Modify markdown before frontmatter is parsed
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async onParseMarkdown({ file, content }) {
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return { content };
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},
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// Modify the final HTML of each page
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async onPageRendered({ file, html }) {
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return { html };
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}
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};
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```
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Example `plugins/analytics.js`:
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```js
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module.exports = {
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onPageRendered: async ({ html, file }) => {
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const snippet = `\n<script>console.log('Page viewed: ${file}')</script>`;
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return { html: html.replace('</body>', `${snippet}</body>`) };
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}
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};
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```
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Enable it in `config.yaml`:
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```yaml
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pluginsDir: "plugins"
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plugins:
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- "analytics"
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```
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Running `npm run build` will load the plugin and execute its hooks.
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This spec is complete and ready for implementation. Prototype core parsing first, then add features iteratively. Total est. dev time: 2-4 weeks for MVP.
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Archivox is released under the MIT License.
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