langflow/.cursor/rules/docs_development.mdc

---
description: "Guidelines for developing and maintaining Langflow documentation using Docusaurus, including content structure, style, and deployment processes."
globs:
  - "docs/**/*.{md,mdx}"
  - "docs/**/*.{js,jsx,ts,tsx}"
  - "docs/package*.json"
  - "docs/docusaurus.config.js"
  - "docs/sidebars.js"
  - "docs/static/**/*"
alwaysApply: false
---

# Documentation Development Guidelines

## Purpose
Guidelines for developing and maintaining Langflow documentation using Docusaurus, including content structure, style, and deployment processes.

---

## 1. Documentation Environment Setup

### Prerequisites
- **Node.js:** v22.12 LTS for runtime
- **Package Manager:** npm for dependency management
- **Documentation Framework:** Docusaurus v3

### Documentation Service
```bash
cd docs
npm install       # Install dependencies
npm run start     # Start dev server
```
- Auto-reloads on documentation changes
- Access at: http://localhost:3000/
- Documentation source: `docs/`

---

## 2. Documentation Structure

### Directory Layout
```
docs/
├── docs/                    # Main documentation content
│   ├── agents/              # Agent and MCP guides
│   ├── get-started/         # Getting started guides
│   ├── tutorials/           # Langflow tutorials
│   ├── components/          # Component documentation
│   ├── flows/               # Guides to build, run, and test flows
│   ├── deployment/          # Guides for deploying and hosting a Langflow server
│   ├── develop/             # Guides for developing apps with Langflow
│   ├── support/             # Help and release notes
│   ├── contributing/        # Contribution guidelines
│   ├── api-reference/       # API documentation
│   └── _partial-*.mdx       # Shared content partials (imported by other pages)
├── src/                     # Custom React components
├── static/                  # Static assets (images, etc.)
├── sidebars.js              # Sidebar configuration
├── docusaurus.config.js     # Main configuration
└── package.json             # Dependencies
```

---

## 3. Writing Documentation

### Frontmatter
Every `.mdx` file uses only `title` and `slug`. No `description` or `sidebar_position`.

```
---
title: Page Title
slug: /page-slug
---
```

The `title` value is used as the page heading — do not add a duplicate `# h1` after the frontmatter.

### MDX Imports
Most pages import one or more of these at the top, after frontmatter:

```
import Icon from "@site/src/components/icon";
import Tabs from '@theme/Tabs';
import TabItem from '@theme/TabItem';
import SomePartial from '@site/docs/_partial-some-content.mdx';
```

- Use `<Icon name="IconName" aria-hidden="true" />` to reference Lucide icons inline. Always include `aria-hidden="true"` and bold the button name next to it for accessibility: `<Icon name="Play" aria-hidden="true" /> **Run**`.
- Use `<SomePartial />` to embed shared content partials.

### Admonitions
```
:::tip
Use for helpful tips.
:::

:::warning
Use for potential issues.
:::

:::danger
Use for critical warnings.
:::
```

### Images and Assets
```
![Descriptive alt text](/img/some-image.png)
```

Images go in `static/img/`. Use descriptive alt text.

---

## 4. Component Documentation

### Component Page Template
```
---
title: Component Name
slug: /component-name
---

import Icon from "@site/src/components/icon";

One-sentence description of what the component does.

## Use the Component Name component in a flow

Step-by-step instructions for using the component.

## Component Name parameters

| Name | Type | Description |
|------|------|-------------|
| `input_name` | MessageTextInput | Description of the input. |
| `output_name` | Message | Description of the output. |
```

### API Documentation
```
---
title: API Endpoint Name
slug: /api-endpoint-name
---

## Endpoint

`POST /api/v1/endpoint`

## Request body

| Parameter | Type | Description |
|-----------|------|-------------|
| `param` | string | Description. |

## Example

```bash
curl -X POST http://localhost:7860/api/v1/endpoint \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your-token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"param": "value"}'
```
```

---

## 5. Documentation Testing

### Build and serve
```bash
cd docs
npm run build     # Build static site
npm run serve     # Serve built site locally
```

### API examples
```bash
make api_examples_local          # Run API sample files against a local Langflow server
make api_examples_local_syntax   # Syntax-check API sample files without executing them
```

### Content Review
- **Accuracy:** Verify all code examples work
- **Completeness:** Ensure all features are documented
- **Clarity:** Review for clear, concise language
- **Navigation:** Test sidebar and cross-references

### Screenshots
- Keep screenshots up-to-date with current UI
- Use consistent browser/OS for screenshots
- Highlight relevant UI elements
- Use descriptive file names

---

## 6. Style Guide

### Writing Style
- **Tone:** Professional but approachable
- **Voice:** Second person ("you") for instructions
- **Tense:** Present tense for current features
- **Length:** Keep paragraphs short and scannable

### Formatting
- **Headers:** Use sentence case
- **Code:** Inline code with `backticks`
- **Emphasis:** Use **bold** for UI elements, *italic* for emphasis
- **Lists:** Use parallel structure

### Terminology
- **Langflow:** Always capitalize
- **Component:** Capitalize when referring to Langflow components
- **Flow:** Capitalize when referring to Langflow flows
- **API:** Always uppercase
- **JSON:** Always uppercase

---

## 7. Deployment

### Local Testing
```bash
cd docs
npm run build     # Build static site
npm run serve     # Serve built site locally
```

### Production Deployment
- Documentation changes are submitted as pull requests to the **release branch**, not directly to `main`.
- The release branch is merged to `main` as part of the release process.
- Build artifacts go to the `build/` directory.
- The static site is served via CDN.

---

## Documentation Development Checklist
- [ ] Documentation service running with `npm run start`
- [ ] Content follows markdown conventions
- [ ] Code examples are tested and working
- [ ] Images have descriptive alt text
- [ ] Internal links are functional
- [ ] Sidebar navigation is updated
- [ ] Content follows style guide
- [ ] Screenshots are current and properly formatted
- [ ] Cross-references between related topics
- [ ] Build succeeds with `npm run build`
- [ ] Changes target the release branch (not `main`)