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GitbookIO

GitbookIO/gitbook

Open source Next.js rendering engine that serves GitBook published documentation sites, with optional self-hosting.

Open-source alternative to:GitBook

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Last commit
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What is it?

GitBook is a platform for managing technical knowledge for teams. This repository holds the open source frontend that renders GitBook's published content, so a documentation site built in GitBook can be displayed from this code.

The project is built with Next.js and TypeScript, and runs locally with Node.js and Bun. Running the development server lets you open any published GitBook space through a localhost URL, and changes to the code show up in the browser right away. Visual and performance tests run on pull requests.

Self-hosting is possible, which lets you customize the look of published docs and embed them in your own application. The maintainers note that self-hosters become responsible for reliability and for keeping up with platform changes, and they recommend it only when that trade-off fits.

Key features

  • 01Renders GitBook published documentation sites from source code.
  • 02Built on Next.js with TypeScript.
  • 03Local development server that can open any published GitBook space.
  • 04Supports self-hosting with customizable look and feel.
  • 05Includes translation files for the GitBook UI.

Use cases

  • Self-hosting a GitBook published site under your own domain.
  • Embedding GitBook-rendered documentation inside your own application.
  • Customizing the appearance of published documentation.
  • Contributing fixes or translations to the GitBook rendering engine.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Clone the repository

    git clone https://github.com/gitbookIO/gitbook.git
  2. 2

    Switch to the project's Node version with nvm

    nvm use
  3. 3

    Install dependencies with Bun

    bun install
  4. 4

    Start the local development server

    bun dev

Things to know

  • Requires Node.js 22.3 or newer and Bun 1.2.15 or newer.
  • Licensed under GPL-3.0, so distributing modified code requires making source public or buying a commercial license.
  • The README does not recommend self-hosting, and the maintainers do not guarantee support for forks.

Topics

#documentation#markdown#nextjs#typescript#static-site#knowledge-base#git#gitbook

FAQ

What is gitbook?
Open source Next.js rendering engine that serves GitBook published documentation sites, with optional self-hosting. GitBook is a platform for managing technical knowledge for teams. This repository holds the open source frontend that renders GitBook's published content, so a documentation site built in GitBook can be displayed from this code.
Is gitbook free to use? What license does it have?
gitbook is open source under the GPL-3.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is gitbook still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to gitbook was on Oct 21, 2026.
What can I use gitbook for?
Self-hosting a GitBook published site under your own domain. Embedding GitBook-rendered documentation inside your own application. Customizing the appearance of published documentation. Contributing fixes or translations to the GitBook rendering engine.
How do I install gitbook?
Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/gitbookIO/gitbook.git Switch to the project's Node version with nvm: nvm use Install dependencies with Bun: bun install Start the local development server: bun dev
Where can I get gitbook?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/GitbookIO/gitbook

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