+1 for Andy's custom proposal, with ReadTheDocs or another pre-built processor as the backup.
Apex documentation is primarily written by engineers, and needs to closely reflect the current state of the code. Many Apache projects follow the model proposed here, with variations on the markup language and processor to HTML used. I think this model will results in a good process for contributing, updating, and ensuring consistent look and feel for the docs. Thanks, Sasha On Wed, Nov 18, 2015 at 1:43 PM, Andy Perlitch <[email protected]> wrote: > Here are some more pros and cons on my proposed solution and > ReadTheDocs.org: > > *# Custom Proposal* > Pros > - Unified doc set search in left nav bar > > Cons > - Harder to maintain as it is custom code (node and angular code to boot, > which is not a skill many community members will have) > > *# ReadTheDocs* > Pros > - Potentially easier to maintain by community > > Cons > - Core and Malhar would have to be two separate readthedocs.org endpoints, > which means you can't do a single search that queries both doc sets > > -Andy > > On Wed, Nov 18, 2015 at 1:21 PM, Timothy Farkas <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > +1 Very nice :) > > > > On Wed, Nov 18, 2015 at 1:15 PM, Andy Perlitch <[email protected]> > > wrote: > > > > > Sorry, seems like the images didn't get through. > > > > > > - index page for the docs: http://i.imgur.com/ZB8bzhO.png > > > - individual doc example: http://i.imgur.com/BcGaIEQ.png > > > - realtime searching (taken from angular docs as example) > > > http://i.imgur.com/K6247Q9.gif > > > > > > > > > Andy > > > > > > On Mon, Nov 16, 2015 at 7:46 PM, Andy Perlitch <[email protected]> > > > wrote: > > > > > >> Hello Apexers, > > >> > > >> I'd like to propose a process for creating, storing, updating, and > > >> displaying documentation of the apex and malhar projects. > > >> > > >> > > >> *## Goals* > > >> The goals for docs that I had in mind are: > > >> > > >> - Versioned with the code base > > >> - Easy to contribute to by anyone > > >> - Displayed on apex.incubator.apache.org > > >> - Simple deploy process > > >> - Indexable by search engines > > >> - Easily navigable; table of contents, support for nested "groups" of > > >> docs, responsive search > > >> > > >> *## Proposal* > > >> My proposal is as follows: > > >> > > >> 1. Source files for docs will live in their respective git > repositories, > > >> under a `docs` folder. Format for said files will be github-flavored > > >> markdown <https://help.github.com/articles/github-flavored-markdown/> > > (In > > >> the future, other formats could be supported). This takes care of the > > first > > >> two goals listed above. > > >> 2. In addition to the docs themselves, a single json file acting as an > > >> index for the rendered docs will exist in `docs/index.json`. This will > > be > > >> used to render a left navigation bar in the docs section. > > >> 3. Create a gulp <http://gulpjs.com/> task which: > > >> a. pulls down these files for each released version of apex and > malhar > > >> (using the Github API) > > >> b. creates HTML versions of each project/version/doc, each with the > > >> same left-side navigation > > >> c. creates a JSON file (per version) containing the raw markdown > > >> content that can be used by Javascript on the page to power a fast > > search > > >> function in the left-side navigation. > > >> 4. As part of the release process, run the aforementioned gulp task > and > > >> push to the site using the current `build.sh` script > > >> > > >> > > >> *## Mockups* > > >> This would result in an index page on * > > apex.incubator.apache.org/docs/index.html > > >> <http://apex.incubator.apache.org/docs/index.html>*: > > >> [image: Inline image 1] > > >> > > >> And this is a mockup of looking at an individual doc, e.g. * > > apex.incubator.apache.org/docs/v3.2.0-incubating/contributing.html > > >> < > > > http://apex.incubator.apache.org/docs/v3.2.0-incubating/contributing.html > > >* > > >> : > > >> [image: Inline image 2] > > >> > > >> The search feature could filter the docs shown in the side bar in > > >> real-time: > > >> [image: Inline image 3] > > >> > > >> *## Caveats* > > >> No plan is perfect, and this one is no exception. A few caveats to > this > > >> plan are: > > >> > > >> - Any updates to the docs in the repos require a manual build and push > > to > > >> the website. > > >> - This would be a custom solution, and while I will rely on existing > > >> modules as much as possible, there will be a little glue-code > > >> - The JSON files used by the search feature may become very large if > the > > >> docs become extremely large. This may hurt browser performance. I > doubt > > >> this will ever be a problem though. > > >> > > >> *## Alternatives* > > >> We could approach the problem of docs in a few different ways. Most > > >> notably are solutions hosted by others (i.e., Documentation as a > > Service). > > >> Some examples of this solution: Atlassian Confluence > > >> <https://developer.atlassian.com/opensource/>, Readme.io, and > > Readthedocs > > >> <https://readthedocs.org/>. I personally take issue with these for > the > > >> following reasons: > > >> > > >> - docs not versioned along with the code (readthedocs is the exception > > >> here) > > >> - most solutions are not very user-friendly (no real-time search) > > >> - css-skinning is difficult or impossible > > >> - system exists outside of current projects/website > > >> > > >> If the community rejects the proposal put forth here, my choice of > > >> alternative would be ReadTheDocs (see the features > > >> <http://read-the-docs.readthedocs.org/en/latest/features.html>). > > >> > > >> *Pros of ReadTheDocs:* > > >> - docs are also versioned with codebase in git repo > > >> - git hook automatically updates docs without any manual step > > >> - out-of-the-box support for showing different versions of the docs > > >> - decent default theme > > >> > > >> *Cons of ReadTheDocs are: * > > >> - separately hosted > > >> - learning curve for usage > > >> - difficulty for skinning > > >> - difficulty extending/adding functionality > > >> - Slow search/frustrating left-hand navigation > > >> > > >> > > >> *## Conclusions* > > >> Documentation is one of the first places potential new community > > >> members/developers will go when vetting Apex for use. Ideally, it > should > > >> dazzle and inspire. I think the status-quo for documentation on > > open-source > > >> projects is a low bar, and I am willing to put in the bit of work to > lay > > >> the foundation for excellent docs. Again, if my custom proposal seems > > too > > >> problematic, my vote is for using ReadTheDocs. > > >> > > >> Please share your thoughts. > > >> > > >> -Andy > > >> > > >> > > >> -- > > >> Regards, > > >> Andy Perlitch > > >> Software Engineer > > >> DataTorrent Inc > > >> (408)829-9319 > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > Regards, > > > Andy Perlitch > > > Software Engineer > > > DataTorrent Inc > > > (408)829-9319 > > > > > > > > > -- > Regards, > Andy Perlitch > Software Engineer > DataTorrent Inc > (408)829-9319 >
