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Installation

Get started with Docus by creating a new documentation project using the create-docus CLI tool.

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Quick Start

The fastest way to start with Docus is using the CLI, which scaffolds a complete documentation project: 
npx create-docus my-docs
The CLI will prompt you to choose between two templates: default for single-language documentation, or i18n for multi-language support.

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Step-by-Step Installation

1

Create your project

Use the create-docus CLI to scaffold a new documentation project:
npx create-docus my-docs
For multi-language documentation, use the i18n template:
npx create-docus my-docs -t i18n
2

Navigate to your project

Move into your newly created documentation directory:
cd my-docs
3

Start development server

Start your documentation site in development mode:
npm run dev
Your documentation will be available at http://localhost:3000
4

Start writing

Open the content/ directory and start writing your documentation in Markdown!

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What the CLI Creates

The create-docus CLI scaffolds a minimal project structure: 
my-docs/
├── content/              # Your markdown content
│   ├── index.md         # Homepage
│   └── docs/            # Documentation pages
├── public/              # Static assets
└── package.json         # Dependencies and scripts
The generated project uses the Docus layer via the --extends docus flag in package.json scripts. This keeps your project clean and minimal.

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Templates

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Default Template

The default template creates a basic documentation project ready for single-language content: 
npx create-docus my-docs
This includes:
  • Basic content structure
  • Single-language routing
  • Minimal configuration

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I18n Template

Use the -t i18n flag to create a project with internationalization support: 
npx create-docus my-docs -t i18n
The i18n template includes:
  • Pre-configured @nuxtjs/i18n module
  • Locale-based content structure (content/en/, content/fr/)
  • Built-in language switcher
  • Automatic URL prefixing (/en/docs, /fr/docs)

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Manual Installation

If you prefer to set up Docus manually in an existing Nuxt project, you can install the layer directly:
1

Install dependencies

Install the required packages:
npm install docus better-sqlite3 nuxt
better-sqlite3 is required by Nuxt Content for the native SQLite connector.
2

Configure Nuxt

Add the Docus layer to your nuxt.config.ts:
nuxt.config.ts
export default defineNuxtConfig({
  extends: ['docus']
})
3

Update package.json scripts

Add the development and build scripts:
package.json
{
  "scripts": {
    "dev": "nuxt dev --extends docus",
    "build": "nuxt build --extends docus"
  }
}
4

Create content directory

Create a content/ directory and add your first Markdown file:
mkdir content
echo "# Hello Docus" > content/index.md

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Adding Internationalization

To add i18n support to your Docus project:
1

Install i18n module

npm install @nuxtjs/i18n
2

Configure i18n

Add i18n configuration to your nuxt.config.ts:
nuxt.config.ts
export default defineNuxtConfig({
  extends: ['docus'],
  modules: ['@nuxtjs/i18n'],
  i18n: {
    defaultLocale: 'en',
    locales: [
      { code: 'en', name: 'English' },
      { code: 'fr', name: 'Français' },
    ],
  }
})
3

Organize content by locale

Restructure your content directory with locale folders:
content/
├── en/
│   ├── index.md
│   └── guide/
│       └── introduction.md
└── fr/
    ├── index.md
    └── guide/
        └── introduction.md

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Deployment

Docus is built on Nuxt, so it can be deployed to any platform that supports Node.js:

Vercel

Deploy with zero configuration using Vercel’s Nuxt integration.

Netlify

Deploy with automatic builds and preview deployments.

Cloudflare Pages

Deploy to Cloudflare’s edge network for global performance.

Nuxt Deployment

See the official Nuxt deployment documentation for more options.

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Online Development

You can also start with an online template and deploy directly from Vercel:

Deploy with Vercel

Click to deploy the Docus template and create your git repository directly from Vercel.

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Next Steps

Project Structure

Learn about the project structure and configuration options

Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions when working with Docus

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