Documentation5 platforms compared

Best CMS for Documentation Sites in 2026

Compare the best platforms for building documentation sites. From static site generators to purpose-built docs tools.

Great docs convert users into power users. Choose a platform that makes writing and maintaining docs effortless.

TL;DR — Our Top Pick

Docusaurus is our top recommendation for documentation sites.

Purpose-built by Meta for documentation. Versioning, search, i18n, and MDX support out of the box. Used by thousands of open-source projects.

What a Documentation CMS Needs

Developer teams and technical writers building API references, product docs, or knowledge bases.

Markdown/MDX support with code syntax highlighting

Version-controlled content (Git-based workflow)

Search functionality across all docs

Sidebar navigation with nested sections

API reference generation

Top 5 Platforms Ranked

Docusaurus

Meta's documentation framework built on React

TOP PICK

Purpose-built by Meta for documentation. Versioning, search, i18n, and MDX support out of the box. Used by thousands of open-source projects.

Open SourceJavaScript/TypeScript (React)Free (open-source)

Strengths

Purpose-built for documentation with versioning, search, and i18n
Used by major open-source projects (React, Babel, Jest, Redux)
React-based — extend with any React component

Trade-offs

Focused on docs — not ideal for blogs or marketing sites
React dependency makes it heavier than Hugo or 11ty

Next.js + Fumadocs

React framework for production with SSR, SSG, and API routes

Maximum flexibility with Fumadocs providing docs-specific features (search, sidebar, TOC) on top of Next.js. Best when docs live alongside your app.

Open SourceJavaScript/TypeScript (React)Free (open-source)

Strengths

Hybrid rendering — SSG, SSR, ISR, and client-side in one app
Most popular React framework with massive community
Built-in image optimization, API routes, and middleware

Trade-offs

React learning curve for non-JavaScript developers
App Router introduced complexity with Server Components

Astro Starlight

Content-focused framework that ships zero JavaScript by default

Astro's official docs theme. Extremely fast, accessible, and opinionated. Perfect for standalone documentation sites.

Open SourceJavaScript/TypeScript (framework-agnostic)Free (open-source)

Strengths

Ships zero JS to the client by default (Islands Architecture)
Use React, Vue, Svelte, or any framework in the same project
Content collections with type-safe Markdown/MDX

Trade-offs

Not ideal for highly interactive apps (designed for content sites)
Smaller ecosystem than Next.js — fewer integrations available

Hugo + Docsy

Fastest static site generator, written in Go

Fastest build times for very large doc sites (10,000+ pages). Docsy theme is production-ready and maintained by Google.

Open SourceGo (Go templates)Free (open-source)

Strengths

Blazing fast builds — renders 10,000 pages in seconds
Single binary with zero dependencies
Built-in image processing, taxonomies, and i18n

Trade-offs

Go template syntax has a steep learning curve
No JavaScript framework — limits client-side interactivity

VitePress

Vue-powered SSG optimized for technical documentation

Vue-powered, fast, and opinionated. Official replacement for VuePress with better performance. Great for Vue ecosystem projects.

Open SourceJavaScript (Vue.js)Free (open-source)

Strengths

Excellent default theme for documentation sites
Vue components work in Markdown files
Built-in search, sidebar navigation, and versioning

Trade-offs

Best suited for docs — limited for general-purpose sites
Smaller plugin ecosystem than other Vue-based options

How to Decide

For open-source projects, Docusaurus or Starlight offer the fastest path to production-ready docs

If docs need to live in the same repo as your app, Next.js + Fumadocs keeps everything together

For massive doc sites with 10K+ pages, Hugo's build speed is unmatched

If your team uses Vue, VitePress is the natural choice

Ready to migrate from WordPress?

WordPress → Docusaurus WordPress → Next.js WordPress → Astro Starlight

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add search to static docs?

Yes. Algolia DocSearch is free for open-source projects. For private docs, Pagefind (client-side) or Orama provide excellent search with zero API costs.

How do I handle API reference docs?

Use OpenAPI/Swagger generators like Redoc or Stoplight for API references. These can be embedded into any docs platform as standalone pages.

What about versioned docs?

Docusaurus has built-in versioning. For other platforms, use Git branches or folders per version. Fumadocs and Starlight also support versioned docs.

How do I handle code examples in docs?

Use syntax highlighting with Shiki or Prism. Add copy-to-clipboard buttons for code blocks. MDX lets you embed interactive examples. Fumadocs and Docusaurus include these features out of the box.

Can I auto-generate docs from code?

Yes. TypeDoc and JSDoc generate from TypeScript/JavaScript. Swagger/OpenAPI generates API docs from your spec. Docusaurus plugins can pull in both. Keep generated and hand-written docs in separate sections.

How do I handle broken links in docs?

Add link checking to your CI pipeline. Docusaurus has a built-in checker. For other platforms, use markdown-link-check or lychee. Catch 404s before deploy, and set up redirects for moved content.

Should docs be in the same repo as code?

For API docs and developer references, yes — they stay in sync with releases. For user-facing docs or knowledge bases, it depends: same repo simplifies versioning; separate repo lets non-devs own the content.

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