LuauDocs

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Getting Started ​

LuauDocs builds a VitePress documentation site from your Luau library. It discovers exports from what your modules return and reads signatures from your type annotations. You get full-text search, dark mode, and cross-linked types without adding doc tags or writing upfront config.

Requirements ​

You need Node.js 22.12 or newer.

LuauDocs uses Lute to parse and evaluate your Luau source files. It downloads and caches a pinned Lute binary automatically on first run. For offline environments, point LUAUDOCS_LUTE at a local binary.

Install ​

bash
npm i -g luaudocs
bash
# tracks the latest commit
npm i -g github:kohltastrophe/luaudocs

Your first site ​

bash
cd my-luau-library && luaudocs dev

dev starts a local server and prints a localhost URL for your API reference.

If you don't have a luaudocs.toml file, LuauDocs uses sensible defaults. It takes the site title from your folder name and reads modules from src/ and lib/. You can configure other paths under [source] entries. If .luaudocs/ doesn't exist yet, the build creates it with a .gitignore for build artifacts so only your own files are ready to commit.

Leave dev running while you edit doc comments to see live updates in place.

What you get ​

This site documents examples/Flux using those defaults:

examples/Flux/init.luau
luau
local State = require("@self/State")
local Util = require("@self/Util")

--[[ A tiny reactive state library. ]]
local Flux = {}

Flux.State = State
Flux.Util = Util

--[[ Reports whether `value` is a state. ]]
Flux.isState = State.isState

--[[
Creates a state holding `initial`.

Call the state to read it, and see [State:Connect] for reacting to changes.
]]
function Flux.state<T>(initial: T?): State.State<T>
	return State.new(initial)
end

return Flux

Here is the generated page for that module, embedded directly from the emitted markdown:

Generated reference→

Properties

State Module

luau
Flux.State: State

Util Module

luau
Flux.Util: Util

Functions

state

luau
Flux.state<T>(initial: T?): State.State<T>

Creates a state holding initial.

Call the state to read it, and see State:Connect for reacting to changes.

isState from State

luau
Flux.isState(value: any): boolean

Reports whether value is a state.

From return Flux alone, LuauDocs infers:

  • Required modules become pages. They carry a Module badge and nest under Flux in the sidebar to match caller access paths (Flux.State and Flux.Util).
  • isState is documented under its exposed name. It gets a from State badge that links to its definition.
  • Signatures come from your annotations. State.State links directly to its type entry.
  • [State:Connect] resolves to a link because a project module declares it.

Browse the full example library under Example API, where modules nest by access path (Flux → Util → Queue). See How It Works for the rules behind surface discovery and sidebar layout.

Commands ​

Each command takes an optional project directory (defaults to .):

  • luaudocs dev: watches sources and serves a live preview.
  • luaudocs build: builds the static site for publishing. See Deploying.
  • luaudocs init: scaffolds luaudocs.toml and starter pages. See Configuration.
  • luaudocs llms: writes a repository-root llms.txt for coding agents. See Coding Agents.

Pass -h / --help or see Reference: CLI for all flags.

Next steps ​