Generate Documentation

Use the dashboard to start a new documentation run for a Git repository, choose the branch, provider, and model you want, and get a browsable docs site from the same screen. This is the quickest path when you want to add a repo and launch generation without switching to a terminal.

Prerequisites

  • Signed in to the dashboard as a user or admin
  • A remote Git repository URL in HTTPS or git@... form
  • Git access from the machine running docsfy if the repository is private or uses SSH
  • A provider and model that your docsfy server can run

Quick Example

Repository URL: https://github.com/myk-org/for-testing-only
Branch: main
Provider: gemini
Model: gemini-2.5-flash
Force full regeneration: off

Click New Generation, enter those values, then click Generate. If your server uses a different provider or model, swap those two fields and keep the rest of the flow the same.

Step-by-Step

  1. Open the form.
    In the dashboard sidebar, click New Generation.

  2. Enter the repository URL.
    Paste the remote URL for the repository you want to document. docsfy uses the repository name from that URL as the project name, so https://github.com/myk-org/for-testing-only appears in the sidebar as for-testing-only.

  3. Choose the branch.
    Leave the default main branch or type another branch such as dev.

Warning: Branch names cannot contain /. Use release-1.x, not release/1.x.

  1. Choose the provider and model.
    Pick one of claude, gemini, or cursor, then choose a model from the suggestions or type one manually. The form starts with cursor selected, but you can change it before you submit.

Tip: If the model list is empty, type the model name yourself. Suggestions only appear after successful generations have already recorded known models.

  1. Decide whether to force a full rebuild.
    Leave Force full regeneration off for a normal run. Turn it on when you want docsfy to ignore cached pages and rebuild everything from scratch.

  2. Start the run.
    Click Generate. The new run is added to the sidebar, the dashboard opens its detail view automatically, and the status changes to Generating.

  3. Wait for the ready state.
    When the run finishes, the selected item shows Ready. At that point you can open or download the generated site from the same view.

Click New Generation

Enter repo URL, branch, provider, and model

Click Generate

Dashboard opens the new run

Generating

Ready

Advanced Usage ### Accepted repository URL formats 
https://github.com/org/repo
https://github.com/org/repo.git
git@github.com:org/repo.git
> **Note:** SSH URLs work only if the machine running docsfy already has Git access to that host. ### Normal run vs forced rebuild | Setting | When to use it | What to expect | | --- | --- | --- | | `Force full regeneration` off | Everyday runs | docsfy can reuse existing work, skip unchanged runs, or update only what changed | | `Force full regeneration` on | Clean rebuilds, retries after a bad result, or when you want to ignore cached pages | docsfy clears cached page output and rebuilds the docs from scratch | ### Branch and model suggestions - The branch field suggests branches that already have successful generations for the same repository name. - The model field suggests models that already have successful generations for the selected provider. - You can still type a new branch or model even when there is no suggestion. ### Repository URL rules - Use a standard hosted Git remote in `host/owner/repo` form. - Do not use a local filesystem path in the dashboard. - URLs that point to `localhost` or private-network addresses are rejected. ### Terminal alternative If you prefer to start generations from a shell, see [Manage docsfy from the CLI](manage-docsfy-from-the-cli.html).

Troubleshooting

  • The repository URL is rejected: Use an HTTPS URL like https://github.com/org/repo.git or an SSH URL like git@github.com:org/repo.git.
  • The branch is rejected: Remove / from the branch name and try a name such as release-1.x.
  • No model suggestions appear: Type the model name manually. Suggestions are learned from successful generations.
  • The run fails during clone: Make sure the docsfy server can reach the Git host and authenticate to the repository.
  • You get an "already being generated" error: That exact branch, provider, and model combination is already running. Wait for it to finish, or open it and abort the current run before retrying.
  • You can view docs but cannot start a generation: Your account is probably viewer role. Ask an admin for user or admin access.
  • The run finishes almost immediately: docsfy may have detected that the selected commit is already covered. If you need a clean rebuild, start another run with Force full regeneration turned on.