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Doc-kit includes a comprehensive set of generators for processing API documentation. Generators are divided into internal generators (used only as dependencies) and public generators (invokable via CLI).

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Internal Generators

Internal generators process data and provide output for other generators. They cannot be invoked directly via the CLI.

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ast

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ast
generator
Parses Markdown API doc files into Abstract Syntax Trees (MDAST).Depends on: None (processes raw Markdown files)
Parallel processing: Yes
Version: 1.0.0
This is the first stage in the pipeline. It converts raw Markdown documentation into structured MDAST trees that can be processed by downstream generators. Use case: Foundation for all other generators

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metadata

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metadata
generator
Generates a flattened list of metadata entries from API documentation.Depends on: ast
Parallel processing: Yes
Version: 1.0.0
Extracts structured metadata from the AST, including:
  • API entry types (methods, properties, classes, etc.)
  • Headings and hierarchy
  • Type information
  • Stability indicators
  • Change history
Configuration:
  • typeMap - Path to type mapping JSON file
Use case: Most generators depend on this for structured API data

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jsx-ast

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jsx-ast
generator
Converts MDAST to JSX Abstract Syntax Trees.Depends on: metadata
Parallel processing: Yes
Version: 1.0.0
Transforms metadata and MDAST into JSX AST format, preparing content for web rendering with React components. Configuration:
  • ref - Git reference for source links (default: ‘main’)
Use case: Required for web output generation

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ast-js

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ast-js
generator
Parses JavaScript source files into Abstract Syntax Trees.Version: 1.0.0
Processes JavaScript source code into AST format for analysis and documentation generation. Use case: Processing JavaScript source files alongside Markdown docs

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Public Generators

Public generators can be invoked directly via the CLI and produce final output.

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web

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web
generator
Generates HTML/CSS/JS bundles from JSX AST entries.Depends on: jsx-ast
Parallel processing: No (requires all entries for code splitting)
Version: 1.0.0
Produces a complete web bundle including:
  • Server-side rendered HTML pages
  • Client-side JavaScript with code splitting
  • Bundled CSS styles
Configuration:
  • templatePath - Path to HTML template file
  • title - Site title (default: ‘Node.js’)
  • imports - Custom import mappings for components
Use case: Building the official Node.js documentation website Example: 
npx @nodejs/doc-kit --generator web --output ./dist

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json-simple

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json-simple
generator
Generates simplified JSON version of API docs.Depends on: metadata
Parallel processing: No
Version: 1.0.0
Returns a stringified JSON version of the API documentation. Useful for debugging, testing, or creating custom tooling. Use case: Testing, debugging, or integration with other tools Example: 
npx @nodejs/doc-kit --generator json-simple --output ./api.json

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man-page

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man-page
generator
Generates Unix man pages from CLI documentation.Depends on: metadata
Parallel processing: No
Version: 1.0.0
Generates man page formatted documentation (mdoc format) from CLI.md files, following the OpenBSD mdoc.7 specification. Configuration:
  • fileName - Output filename (default: ‘node.1’)
  • cliOptionsHeaderSlug - Slug for CLI options section (default: ‘options’)
  • envVarsHeaderSlug - Slug for environment variables section (default: ‘environment-variables-1’)
  • templatePath - Path to man page template
Use case: Generating the node.1 man page for Unix systems Example: 
npx @nodejs/doc-kit --generator man-page --output ./man

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orama-db

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orama-db
generator
Generates Orama database for API documentation search.Depends on: metadata
Parallel processing: No
Version: 1.0.0
Creates a searchable Orama database from the API documentation, enabling fast client-side search functionality. Use case: Powering the search feature on documentation websites Example: 
npx @nodejs/doc-kit --generator orama-db --output ./search

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llms-txt

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llms-txt
generator
Generates LLM-optimized text format of API documentation.Depends on: metadata
Version: 1.0.0
Outputs documentation in a format optimized for consumption by Large Language Models. Use case: Providing documentation to AI assistants and LLMs Example: 
npx @nodejs/doc-kit --generator llms-txt --output ./llms.txt

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sitemap

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sitemap
generator
Generates XML sitemap for documentation.Version: 1.0.0
Creates an XML sitemap for SEO and search engine indexing. Use case: SEO optimization for documentation websites Example: 
npx @nodejs/doc-kit --generator sitemap --output ./sitemap.xml

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addon-verify

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addon-verify
generator
Verifies addon documentation for correctness.Version: 1.0.0
Validates and verifies addon documentation to ensure it follows the correct format and standards. Use case: Quality assurance for addon documentation
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api-links
generator
Generates database of API links and references.Version: 1.0.0
Creates a database of all API links and cross-references within the documentation. Use case: Link validation and reference checking

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Legacy Generators

These generators maintain compatibility with older documentation formats:
Generates documentation in the legacy HTML format.Use case: Maintaining backward compatibility with older documentation builds
Generates all-in-one legacy HTML documentation.Use case: Single-page HTML documentation in legacy format
Generates documentation in the legacy JSON format.Use case: Backward compatibility with tools expecting the old JSON format
Generates all-in-one legacy JSON documentation.Use case: Complete API documentation in legacy JSON format

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Generator Dependencies

Here’s how generators depend on each other:

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Next Steps

Creating Custom Generators

Build your own generators

Parallel Processing

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