Gitbook vs MkDocs: What are the differences?

Introduction

Gitbook and MkDocs are two popular documentation platforms used for building and hosting documentation websites. While they serve a similar purpose, there are key differences between the two.

1. Template Customization: Gitbook provides a range of customizable templates to choose from, allowing users to create visually appealing documentation websites. On the other hand, MkDocs offers a limited number of themes and customization options, making it less flexible in terms of design.

2. Markdown Support: Gitbook supports an extended version of Markdown, known as Gitbook Markdown, which includes additional features like footnotes, emojis, and code blocks with syntax highlighting. MkDocs, on the other hand, uses standard Markdown with limited support for these additional features.

3. Versioning and Collaboration: Gitbook offers robust versioning capabilities, allowing multiple contributors to work on different branches and merge changes seamlessly. It also provides built-in collaboration features like comments and discussions. MkDocs, however, lacks these versioning and collaboration features, making it better suited for smaller teams or individual projects.

4. Search Functionality: Gitbook provides advanced search capabilities, enabling users to search and filter through large documentation repositories easily. MkDocs, on the other hand, has limited search functionality and relies on third-party extensions or plugins to implement advanced search features.

5. Integration with External Tools: Gitbook offers integrations with various tools and platforms like GitHub, Slack, and Google Analytics, providing a seamless workflow for documentation management. MkDocs, on the other hand, has limited integrations and may require additional setup or customization to integrate with external tools.

6. Hosting Options: Gitbook provides a cloud-based hosting solution, allowing users to host their documentation websites on Gitbook's servers. MkDocs, on the other hand, is a static site generator, which means users need to host the generated site on their own servers or use a third-party hosting service.

Summary

In summary, Gitbook offers more template customization options, supports an extended version of Markdown, provides robust versioning and collaboration features, advanced search functionality, and various integrations, while MkDocs offers a simpler setup process and the flexibility to host the generated site anywhere, making it a good choice for smaller projects or individuals seeking simplicity.