Company
Date Published
Author
Jeff Klukas
Word count
2864
Language
English
Hacker News points
None

Summary

Continuous integration (CI) tools, traditionally used for running tests and reporting results, have evolved into versatile computing environments that can manage tasks like building and deploying documentation. Leveraging CI platforms for documentation deployment can provide a seamless workflow, particularly when using tools like CircleCI to automate the deployment of documentation to GitHub Pages. This setup is beneficial for teams already utilizing these platforms for code hosting and automated testing. Documentation deployment can be done using language-specific tools such as sphinx for Python or javadoc for Java, and hosted on services like Read the Docs, which automatically builds and renders documentation upon code updates. However, for teams working with multiple languages or needing specific dependencies, hosting documentation within a CI environment and deploying it to destinations like GitHub Pages or Amazon S3 can be more efficient. GitHub Pages offers three deployment options, including deployment to a separate gh-pages branch, rendering the main branch, or a docs directory, each with different workflow implications. The process involves creating a CircleCI workflow that builds, tests, and deploys the documentation, while also handling credentials and permissions to ensure secure access. This method, as implemented by teams like Mozilla's data platform team, allows for autonomy in managing documentation workflows and reduces the need for additional tools, while being adaptable to different programming languages and infrastructures.