FeatureTraditional Documents
(Word, Google Docs)		LaTeX Documents
(Overleaf, TeXStudio)		Freeform Documents
(Figma, Sketch)		Web Documents
(htmldocs)
Content StructureSemi-StructuredHighly StructuredFreeformHighly Structured
Learning Curve✅ Simple❌ Complex✅ Simple✅ Simple
Template Variables❌ Limited❌ Limited❌ Limited✅ Supported
Styling✅ Basic❌ Complex✅ Advanced✅ Advanced
Version Control❌ Limited✅ Supported❌ Limited✅ Supported
Document Consistency❌ Limited✅ Supported✅ Supported✅ Supported
External Libraries❌ Limited✅ Supported❌ Limited✅ Supported
Automation / API❌ Limited❌ Limited❌ Limited✅ Supported
Developer Plugins❌ Limited❌ Limited❌ Limited✅ Supported
Live Preview✅ Supported❌ Limited✅ Supported✅ Supported
CI/CD Integration❌ Limited⚠️ Partial❌ Limited✅ Supported
Type Safety❌ Limited❌ Limited❌ Limited✅ Supported
AI Integrations❌ Limited❌ Limited❌ Limited✅ Supported

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When to Choose htmldocs

htmldocs is the ideal choice when you need:

  • Programmatic Generation: Create documents dynamically using data and code
  • Consistent Branding: Maintain uniform styling across all documents through components
  • Modern Development: Leverage React, TypeScript, and the npm ecosystem
  • CI/CD: Push new document versions with CI/CD pipelines
  • Version Control: Track changes and collaborate using Git
  • Developer-First: Use familiar tools and workflows in a code-first environment
  • Integrated AI Workflow: Generate document content seamlessly with AI tools like Cursor/Copilot
  • Structured Documents: Create structured documents with precise typesetting and predictable layouts

While traditional tools like Word or LaTeX have their place, htmldocs brings document creation into the modern web development ecosystem, offering powerful features for teams that need more than just basic word processing.

IntroductionGetting Started