Build Open‑Source Project Docs Instantly with Yuque

Previously we introduced Docsify, VuePress, and Hexo for open‑source project documentation, which require deployment work. This article shows an out‑of‑the‑box solution using Yuque, a cloud knowledge base that lets you create book‑like docs with a powerful editor and team collaboration.

Yuque Overview

Yuque is a next‑generation cloud knowledge base that supports Markdown conversion and enables teams to write project documentation like a book.

Personal notes: private or public knowledge bases serve as online cloud notebooks.

Column blogs: generate a blog without building a site.

Project docs: collaborative documentation for projects.

Official docs: product manuals and help guides.

Demo

Below is the finished result—an out‑of‑the‑box, visually appealing documentation site.

Core Concepts

Before using Yuque, understand its core concepts.

Space: similar to a company or organization, containing teams, knowledge bases, and content.

Team: can map to real organizational structures such as departments or project groups.

Knowledge Base: a container for knowledge content, like a book.

Knowledge: the actual documents stored in a knowledge base.

Building a Documentation Site

We will build a documentation site for the open‑source e‑commerce project "mall" using Yuque.

Quick Setup

Click

Space

to create a space for teams and knowledge bases.

Create a

Knowledge Base

and choose the

Document Knowledge Base

type, then enter a name and description.

Inside the knowledge base, add a

Document

, paste your Markdown content, and click

Convert Now

.

Yuque automatically uploads online images when you copy articles.

To edit the document hierarchy, use the

Arrange Directory

feature.

Custom Home Page

After creating the documentation, customize the team’s home page for a richer experience.

Create a

Team

using the

Official Document

template, then set name, description, and avatar.

Use the

Custom Home Page

feature to add modules such as search, knowledge bases, and custom content.

Move the knowledge base into the created team via the settings page.

Visit the team’s homepage to see the final public documentation site.

Public Access

To make the site publicly accessible, additional steps are required.

In a personal space, create a

Knowledge Group

using the

Official Document

template.

The group’s visibility can be set to

Internet Visible

, making it public.

Export the existing knowledge base as a

.lakebook

file via

Knowledge Base Settings → Advanced Settings

, then import it into the public group.

After importing, customize the group’s homepage as before to complete a publicly accessible documentation site.

Conclusion

Using Yuque to build open‑source project documentation is far simpler than self‑hosting with Docsify, requiring no coding or server purchase, and it also serves well as an online cloud notebook.

Official Site

https://www.yuque.com/