explaingit

slatedocs/slate

★ 36,124Audience · developerComplexity · 2/5MaintainedSetup · easy

TLDR

Static site generator for creating clean, professional API documentation websites from markdown.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Generates API docs
      Static site output
      Markdown input
    Use cases
      Document REST APIs
      Host developer guides
      Share API references
    Tech stack
      Ruby
      Markdown
      Static HTML
    Audience
      API developers
      Technical writers
      DevRel teams

Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Create professional API reference documentation for REST or GraphQL endpoints.

USE CASE 2

Host multi-version API guides with code examples in multiple languages.

USE CASE 3

Generate searchable developer documentation that works without a backend.

USE CASE 4

Build branded API docs that match your company's design and style.

Tech stack

RubyMarkdownHTMLCSSJavaScript

Getting it running

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min
License could not be detected automatically. Check the repository's LICENSE file before use.

In plain English

Slate is a tool for generating static API documentation websites. Created in 2013, it was used by organizations including NASA, Sony, Best Buy, and others to host documentation for their APIs. The README does not describe its features, configuration, or usage in detail, as the original creator removed the project from GitHub in January 2026 as a protest against Microsoft's contracts with ICE and the IDF. A read-only archive of the code remains available on the creator's personal website. Based on the description and topics, Slate is a static-site generator focused specifically on producing clean, readable documentation for APIs, but further details about its features or how to use it are not available from the provided data alone.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
How do I set up Slate to document my REST API with code examples in Python and JavaScript?
Prompt 2
Show me how to customize the Slate template to match my company's branding and colors.
Prompt 3
What's the best way to organize large API documentation using Slate's markdown structure?
Prompt 4
How can I deploy a Slate-generated documentation site to GitHub Pages or a static host?
Open on GitHub → Explain another repo

Generated 2026-05-18 · Model: sonnet-4-6 · Verify against the repo before relying on details.