explaingit

ardupilot/sphinx_rtd_theme

Analysis updated 2026-07-16 · repo last pushed 2025-03-21

2SassAudience · developerComplexity · 2/5StaleSetup · easy

TLDR

A visual theme for Sphinx documentation projects that gives them a clean, mobile-friendly look. It's the default style used by Read the Docs but works with any Sphinx-based docs.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Clean docs styling
      Mobile responsive
      Sidebar navigation
    Tech stack
      Sass
      CSS
      Sphinx
    Use cases
      Style project docs
      Read the Docs hosting
      Polish open-source docs
    Audience
      Developers
      Technical writers
    Setup
      One command install
      One config line change
    Community
      Design contributions
      Translations

Code map

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What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Give your Sphinx project documentation a polished, professional look without designing a website from scratch.

USE CASE 2

Make your existing docs readable on phones and tablets with automatic responsive layout.

USE CASE 3

Match the theme to your project brand by tweaking fonts, colors, and global settings.

What is it built with?

SassCSSSphinxPython

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Requires an existing Sphinx documentation project and its configuration file.

The license is not specified in the explanation, so permission terms are unknown.

In plain English

The Read the Docs Sphinx Theme is a visual template that makes software documentation look clean and readable on both desktop computers and mobile devices. It's the default look used by Read the Docs, a popular hosting platform for open-source documentation, but it can be applied to any documentation project built with a tool called Sphinx. Sphinx is a documentation generator that takes plain text files written by developers and converts them into a full website with navigation, search, and formatting. This theme controls what that resulting website looks like, the fonts, colors, sidebar layout, and how the page adapts when viewed on a phone versus a large monitor. Without a theme, the raw output would be plain and difficult to navigate. The people who would use this are developers or technical writers who are already using Sphinx to write their project's documentation. For example, if a startup builds a Python library and wants to publish a reference guide for other developers, they might host it on Read the Docs. Installing this theme gives their docs a polished, professional appearance without having to design a website from scratch. To use it, a project owner installs the theme with a single command and then changes one line in their configuration file to point to it. The theme is highly customizable, allowing users to tweak both individual pages and global settings to match their project's style. The README doesn't go into detail on the specific customization options, but points to separate documentation for that. The theme is primarily written in Sass, a styling language that compiles into the CSS used by web browsers. The project also welcomes contributors who want to help modify the design or translate the interface into other languages.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
I have a Sphinx documentation project. Show me how to install sphinx_rtd_theme and configure it as my default theme with the one-line config change.
Prompt 2
Help me customize the sphinx_rtd_theme, I want to change the sidebar layout and adjust colors to match my project's brand.
Prompt 3
My Read the Docs-hosted docs look plain. How do I apply the sphinx_rtd_theme so they get the clean default Read the Docs appearance?
Prompt 4
I want to contribute to sphinx_rtd_theme by translating the interface into another language. Where should I start and what files do I need to edit?

Frequently asked questions

What is sphinx_rtd_theme?

A visual theme for Sphinx documentation projects that gives them a clean, mobile-friendly look. It's the default style used by Read the Docs but works with any Sphinx-based docs.

What language is sphinx_rtd_theme written in?

Mainly Sass. The stack also includes Sass, CSS, Sphinx.

Is sphinx_rtd_theme actively maintained?

Stale — no commits in 1-2 years (last push 2025-03-21).

What license does sphinx_rtd_theme use?

The license is not specified in the explanation, so permission terms are unknown.

How hard is sphinx_rtd_theme to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is sphinx_rtd_theme for?

Mainly developer.

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