Material for MkDocs
A theme for MkDocs that turns Markdown files into a searchable documentation website.squidfunk/mkdocs-material
- Stars
- 27.6k
- Forks
- 4.2k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- Python
- Last update
- 6 days ago
- Type
- Framework
What it is
Material for MkDocs is a theme for MkDocs, a tool that builds static documentation websites from Markdown files. It adds a polished, mobile-friendly design, search, and navigation on top of MkDocs. People use it to publish project docs or product documentation without building a site from scratch.
- Build a searchable documentation site from a folder of Markdown files
- Set up a multi-language documentation site, since the README mentions more than 60 languages
- Customize the look of a docs site through the theme configuration in mkdocs.yml
Great for
- Open source maintainers who want a clean docs site for a project
- Teams that already write documentation in Markdown
- Python projects that already use or plan to use MkDocs
- Writers who need a searchable site that works on phones and desktops
Not ideal for
- People who want a no-code website builder, since it requires editing a YAML config file and Markdown files
- Teams that need a long-term supported tool today, because the README says end of life is May 5, 2027 and points to a successor called Zensical
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: Python 3.11 or newer
Install the theme with pip
pip install mkdocs-material - 2
Run it
- Install the package with pip.
- Add theme name: material under the theme key in mkdocs.yml.
- Run MkDocs from your project folder to build and preview the site.
- Write pages as Markdown files in your docs folder.
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Read the installation guide and configuration documentation linked from the README
- Check the migration guide if you plan to move to Zensical before the end of life date
- Use the classic theme variant if you want the look of Material for MkDocs in a successor tool
Downloads
Strengths
- Installs with a single pip command and a few lines of YAML configuration
- Produces a static site that can be hosted on simple web servers
- Has a large user base, with projects such as FastAPI and Ruff listed as users in the README
Trade-offs
- The README states the project reaches end of life on May 5, 2027, and recommends evaluating the successor Zensical
- Requires Python 3.11 or newer and familiarity with MkDocs configuration
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mkdocs-material (this) | 27.6k | Framework | beginner | 6 days ago | Open source maintainers who want a clean docs site for a project |
| docusaurus | 66.6k | Framework | intermediate | 4 days ago | Open source projects that need a documentation website |
| framework7 | 18.8k | Framework | intermediate | 6 days ago | Developers who already know HTML, CSS and JavaScript and want to build mobile-style apps |
| materialize | 38.8k | Library | beginner | 3 months ago | Developers building a web page or app who want a Material Design look quickly |
| docz | 23.6k | Dev tool | intermediate | 12 months ago | React developers who want a documentation site for a component library |
| eliza | 19.8k | Framework | advanced | 4 days ago | Developers who want to build AI agents or plugins in TypeScript |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.