It's Your Doc

Getting Started

This comprehensive guide will walk you through installing It's Your Doc from scratch, from cloning the repository to creating your first documentation page.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

  • PHP 8.2 or higher
  • Composer (PHP dependency manager)
  • Node.js 18+ and NPM (for asset compilation)
  • Git (for cloning the repository)
  • A web server (Apache, Nginx, or Laravel Herd/Valet)

Step 1: Clone the Repository

Clone It's Your Doc from GitHub to your local machine:

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/itsyourdoc.git

# Navigate into the directory
cd itsyourdoc

Step 2: Install PHP Dependencies

Install all required PHP packages using Composer:

composer install

This will install:

  • Laravel framework
  • CommonMark (Markdown parser)
  • GitHub Flavored Markdown extension
  • All other dependencies

Step 3: Install Node Dependencies

Install JavaScript dependencies and compile assets:

# Install Node packages
npm install

# Compile assets for development
npm run dev

# OR compile for production
npm run build

Step 4: Configure Environment

Copy the example environment file and generate an application key:

# Copy the environment file
cp .env.example .env

# Generate application key
php artisan key:generate

Step 5: Configure Your Documentation

Open the .env file and customize your documentation settings:

# Application
APP_NAME="It's Your Doc"
APP_URL=http://localhost

# Documentation Branding
DOCS_BRAND_NAME="Your Company Documentation"
DOCS_LOGO_PATH="/images/logo.svg"
DOCS_LOGO_HEIGHT="40"

# Support Contact (optional)
DOCS_SUPPORT_SHOW_EMAIL=true
DOCS_SUPPORT_EMAIL="[email protected]"
DOCS_SUPPORT_SHOW_PHONE=true
DOCS_SUPPORT_PHONE="+1 (555) 123-4567"

# Theme Colors (optional - defaults provided)
DOCS_PRIMARY_COLOR="#0366d6"
DOCS_SECONDARY_COLOR="#6a737d"
DOCS_ACCENT_COLOR="#28a745"

Step 6: Add Your Logo (Optional)

If you want to use a custom logo:

  1. Place your logo file in public/images/
  2. Update DOCS_LOGO_PATH in .env:
DOCS_LOGO_PATH="/images/your-logo.svg"
DOCS_LOGO_HEIGHT="45"

Step 7: Start the Development Server

Using Laravel Herd or Valet

If you're using Laravel Herd or Valet, your site is automatically served:

http://itsyourdoc.test/docs

Using PHP Built-in Server

Start the Laravel development server:

php artisan serve

Then visit:

http://localhost:8000/docs

Using Apache or Nginx

Configure your web server to point to the public directory. See Laravel deployment documentation for server configuration.

Step 8: View Your Documentation

Open your browser and navigate to:

http://your-domain.test/docs

You should see the default It's Your Doc documentation!

Step 9: Create Your First Page

Now let's create your first custom documentation page:

1. Create a new file:

touch resources/docs/my-first-page.md

2. Add content:

---
title: My First Page
description: This is my first documentation page
---

# My First Page

Welcome to my documentation!

## Getting Started

This is easy to use:

- Write in Markdown
- Save the file
- Refresh your browser

<div class="tip">Use shortcodes like this to add visual emphasis!</div>

## Next Steps

Check out more features:
- [Shortcodes](shortcodes)
- [Code Examples](code-examples)
- [Tables](tables)

3. Access your page:

http://your-domain.test/docs/my-first-page

Quick Start Checklist

✅ Clone the repository
✅ Install PHP dependencies (composer install)
✅ Install Node dependencies (npm install && npm run build)
✅ Copy and configure .env file
✅ Generate application key
✅ Customize branding and colors
✅ Add your logo (optional)
✅ Start the web server
✅ Create your first documentation page

What's Next?

Now that your documentation system is up and running:

  1. Customization - Learn about branding, colors, and configuration options
  2. Writing Content - Master Markdown syntax and documentation features
  3. File Structure - Organize your documentation effectively
  4. Reusable Components - Create reusable content with includes
  5. Shortcodes - Add styled callouts and alerts

Troubleshooting

Assets Not Loading?

Run the build command:

npm run build

Permission Issues?

Make sure the storage and cache directories are writable:

chmod -R 775 storage bootstrap/cache

Page Not Found?

Check that your .md file is in the correct location:

resources/docs/your-page.md

Access it at:

/docs/your-page

Need Help?

  • Check the documentation in the sidebar
  • Review the example pages included with It's Your Doc
  • All documentation files are in resources/docs/ - learn by example!
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