mkdocs-docstyler-plugin

docstyler is a plugin for MkDocs that enables users to add (persistent, preferred and/or alternate) external stylesheets to custom themes using the mkdocs.yml configuration file. (Why 'docstyler' instead of 'extra_css'?)

Requirements

• Python >= v3.6.4
• MkDocs >= v1.0.4
• a custom/third-party MkDocs theme:
  • docSkimmer (recommended)

Note: This plugin does not work for built-in themes (ie. mkdocs and readthedocs).

Quick Start

Installation

• Manually:

$ git clone https://github.com/hfagerlund/mkdocs-docstyler-plugin.git
$ cd mkdocs-docstyler-plugin
$ python3 ./setup.py install

(Not on PyPi yet.)

• Add docstyler to mkdocs.yml and set its configuration options.

• Add custom .css files to the docs directory (or in a subdirectory under /docs).

• Build and preview the site:

$ mkdocs build --clean
$ mkdocs serve

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Features

Which config to use: 'docstyler' or 'extra_css'?

Although extra_css and docstyler can both be used together in mkdocs.yml, there are some important differences.

Note: If both config options are combined, (persistent) stylesheets added using docstyler can be used to override stylesheets added in the extra_css section of mkdocs.yml.

Differences

• Stylesheet types

  • extra_css adds only persistent stylesheet links.
  • docstyler enables the addition of three types of external stylesheet links: persistent, preferred and/or alternate.

• Theme types

  • extra_css can be used with built-in themes or custom/third-party themes.
  • docstyler is only compatible with custom/third-party themes.

Similarities

• Custom .css files should be placed in the docs directory (or in a subdirectory under /docs) when using either extra_css or docstyler.

Additional Features

• docstyler also enables customization of stylesheet <link> elements with (multiple) media types.

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Configuration

Example:

# excerpt from mkdocs.yml:

plugins:
  - search
  - docstyler:
      alternate_styles:
        - path: reverse-contrast.css # file in /docs dir
          title_attr: Reverse contrast
        - path: ./custom_css/large-text.css # file in /docs/custom_css subdir
          media_attr: screen # optional
          title_attr: Large text # displayed in browsers that support 'View' > 'Page Style' menu or equivalent

      persistent_styles: # do not add 'title_attr'
        - path: base.css
          media_attr: all # optional

      preferred_styles:
        # stylesheets with same 'title_attr' are combined (by the browser)
        - {path: 'custom-theme-base.css', media_attr: 'screen', title_attr: 'Theme styles'}
        - {path: 'custom-theme-menus.css', media_attr: 'screen', title_attr: 'Theme styles'}

        - path: ./custom_css/custom-basic.css
          media_attr: all # optional; single media type
          title_attr: Universal (custom)

        - path: mobile.css
          title_attr: Mobile styles
          media_attr: 'screen and (max-width: 600px)' # media query (single or double quotes required)

        - path: ./custom_css/custom-style.css
          media_attr: print, screen # list
          title_attr: Printable

Note: 'search' must be added under the plugins section of mkdocs.yml in order to enable it for use with other plugins including docstyler.

Result:

Automatically adds the following to the output of the theme's 'styles' block:

<link href="base.css" rel="stylesheet" media="all">
<link href="custom-theme-base.css" title="Theme styles" rel="stylesheet" media="screen">
<link href="custom-theme-menus.css" title="Theme styles" rel="stylesheet" media="screen">
<link href="./custom_css/custom-basic.css" title="Universal (custom)" rel="stylesheet" media="all">
<link href="mobile.css" title="Mobile styles" rel="stylesheet" media="screen and (max-width: 600px)">
<link href="./custom_css/custom-style.css" title="Printable" rel="stylesheet" media="print, screen">
<link href="reverse-contrast.css" title="Reverse contrast" rel="alternate stylesheet">
<link href="./custom_css/large-text.css" title="Large text" rel="alternate stylesheet" media="screen">

Note: Other existing styles in {% block styles %} not added using docstyler are preserved (not overwritten or modified).

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Changelog

• v0.1.0 (2019-02-10) - Initial release.

Note:

• Dates shown in YYYY-MM-DD format
• Versioning using SemVer

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License

Copyright (c) 2019 Heini Fagerlund. Licensed under the BSD-3-Clause license.