Library docs generator Beta

The library docs generator parses your Python or C++ library source code and generates MDX documentation pages for modules, classes, functions, methods, and parameters. Generated pages are added to your Fern Docs site with hierarchical navigation.

Cross-links are automatic. When a fully-qualified identifier appears in a code block — for example, in a class signature or type annotation — the generator links it to the page documenting that symbol, so readers can jump straight to the definition.

Configuration

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libraries:
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  plant-core:
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    input:
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      git: https://github.com/acme/plant-core-cpp # repository URL
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      subpath: packages/plant-core # optional, for monorepos
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    output:
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      path: ./static/plant-core-docs # relative to fern/ directory
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    lang: cpp # python or cpp
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    config:
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      doxyfile: ./Doxyfile # optional, C++ only

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navigation:
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  - section: Getting started
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    contents:
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      - page: Overview
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        path: ./pages/overview.mdx
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  - section: Plant SDK Reference
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    contents:
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      - folder: ./static/plant-sdk-docs

$
fern docs md generate

$
fern docs dev

$
fern generate --docs

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libraries:
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  plant-python-sdk:
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    input:
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      git: https://github.com/acme/plant-sdk-python
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    output:
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      path: ./static/python-docs
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    lang: python
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  plant-core:
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    input:
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      git: https://github.com/acme/plant-core-cpp
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    output:
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      path: ./static/cpp-docs
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    lang: cpp
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navigation:
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  - section: Python SDK Reference
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    contents:
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      - folder: ./static/python-docs
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  - section: C++ API Reference
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    contents:
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      - folder: ./static/cpp-docs

Customize generated docs (optional)

You can reorganize the output directory to restructure the sidebar navigation. Move, rename, or nest files and subfolders, and Fern picks up the new layout on the next fern docs dev or publish.

For example, splitting ./static/plant-sdk-docs into getting-started/ and reference/ subfolders produces two sidebar sections:

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navigation:
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  - section: Plant SDK Reference
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    contents:
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      - folder: ./static/plant-sdk-docs/getting-started
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        title: Getting started
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      - folder: ./static/plant-sdk-docs/reference
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        title: API reference

You can also edit page content by modifying the MDX files directly — generated pages are standard MDX, so you can add prose, examples, callouts, or any component. Re-running fern docs md generate overwrites everything in output.path, so commit your customizations first, and keep hand-edited pages outside the output directory if you plan to regenerate.

Configuration reference