The Just the Docs Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Just the Docs in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Just the Docs
The Insider’s Guide
Free Jekyll theme for documentation sites with built-in search
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among docs and wiki tools, read from Just the Docs’s own pages.
Made by Patrick Marsceill and the Just the Docs contributors · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Just the Docs’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Just the Docs’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 6 of the 86 other docs and wiki tools we grade
Just the Docs is a theme for Jekyll, the static site generator, aimed at documentation websites. You write pages in Markdown, and the theme supplies a sidebar navigation, search and layout components. It is distributed under the MIT license and is usually published through GitHub Pages.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Just the Docs, taken from its own pages and our grades.
But it's a theme, not a service: there's no editor, no comments, and someone has to run Jekyll and publish the site.
- 1
Best for a documentation site on GitHub Pages
Just the Docs is a free Jekyll theme that turns Markdown files into a documentation site with a sidebar and search.
- 2
It is free
Just the Docs has no paid plan at all. Free to use under the MIT license; there are no paid plans.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Jekyll theme
Adds a documentation layout to Jekyll sites, with pages written in Markdown, Liquid templates or HTML.
- 5
Navigation and search
Main navigation, child pages, breadcrumbs and in-page navigation, plus built-in search across the site.
- 6
Components
The docs list ready-made UI components such as buttons, labels, tables, callouts and code blocks with line numbers.
- 7
A 2.0 GPA, above 6 of 86
That is against the other docs and wiki tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Just the Docs is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Just the Docs at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Patrick Marsceill and the Just the Docs contributors, since 2017
- Category
- Docs & Wikis
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for a documentation site on GitHub Pages
Just the Docs is a free Jekyll theme that turns Markdown files into a documentation site with a sidebar and search. But it's a theme, not a service: there's no editor, no comments, and someone has to run Jekyll and publish the site.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | $0 under the MIT license, but you build and publish the site yourself with Jekyll, so it counts as ordinary value rather than a free app. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Free with no paid plans, and one person could build and host a site on it using GitHub Pages. |
| Features | C | Navigation, search and layout components for a docs site. It does that job fully but it's a smaller job: no web editor and no comment system. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. You work in files in a repository and run Jekyll, so it needs a command line. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only: it produces a static site. Four integrations are named, all of them build and hosting tools. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Just the Docs is for
- Fits if you're comfortable with Markdown files and Git and want a docs site with no monthly bill
- Works for open source projects that already publish on GitHub Pages
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a web editor, because content is edited as files in a repository
- Not for you if you need comments or feedback on pages, as there is no comment system
- Too light for non-technical writers, who would need someone to run Jekyll
- Watch out: changes published through GitHub Pages can take up to 10 minutes to appear
Good to know
Good for
- Developers who already write docs in Markdown and publish on GitHub Pages
- Open-source projects that need a free documentation site
- Teams happy to maintain a Jekyll setup
Worth knowing
- It is a theme, not a hosted service: you build and publish the site yourself with Jekyll.
- There is no web editor or comment system; content is edited as files in a repository.
- Changes published through GitHub Pages can take up to 10 minutes to appear, according to its docs.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Just the Docs is free to use.
Free with no paid plans, and one person could build and host a site on it using GitHub Pages.
Open source
$0
The full theme under an MIT license, installed as a Jekyll gem or from the project's site template.
The free plan
Free to use under the MIT license; there are no paid plans.
Read from just-the-docs.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Free Jekyll theme for documentation sites with built-in search. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, Markdown, wiki, documents.
Navigation, search and layout components for a docs site.
- Jekyll theme
- Adds a documentation layout to Jekyll sites, with pages written in Markdown, Liquid templates or HTML.
- Navigation and search
- Main navigation, child pages, breadcrumbs and in-page navigation, plus built-in search across the site.
- Components
- The docs list ready-made UI components such as buttons, labels, tables, callouts and code blocks with line numbers.
- Customization
- Colors, layout and other parts of the theme can be changed through configuration and utilities.
- Site template
- A template repository creates a starter site that can be published through GitHub Pages and Actions.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Jekyll
- GitHub Pages
- GitHub Actions
- Netlify
Just the Docs is made by Patrick Marsceill and the Just the Docs contributors, and has been around since 2017.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
6/86
Other docs and wiki tools it is graded above
Just the Docs's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 6 of the 86 other docs and wiki tools we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 41 of 86) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Just the Docs has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 87 docs and wiki tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Just the Docs’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 19 of 86
- BFree plan and trialAbove 41 of 86
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 86
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 86
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 86
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 79 docs and wiki tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Just the Docs is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Just the Docs is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 70 of the 86 other docs and wiki tools grade higher.
What you could make
- Markdown, documents and wiki: an app builder makes these well.
What this rests on. Just the Docs’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Docusaurus, MkDocs, VitePress, Docsify and Sphinx
The 5 tools Just the Docs is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Docusaurus
Free
Open-source static site generator for documentation.
- Just the Docs also covers wiki.
- 2.6GPA
MkDocs
Free
Static site generator for Markdown project documentation.
- Just the Docs also covers wiki.
- 2.6GPA
VitePress
Free
Markdown-to-docs static site generator built on Vite and Vue.
- Just the Docs also covers wiki.
- VitePress also covers templates.
- 2.6GPA
Docsify
Free
Documentation site generator that loads Markdown in the browser.
- Just the Docs also covers wiki.
- 2.6GPA
Sphinx
Free
Documentation generator for Python projects and beyond.
- Only Just the Docs lists a web app.
- Only Sphinx lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Just the Docs also covers wiki.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Just the Docs free?
Yes. Just the Docs is free to use.
How much does Just the Docs cost?
Just the Docs lists one plan. Open source: $0.
What platforms does Just the Docs work on?
Just the Docs is available on Web.
Does Just the Docs have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Just the Docs is listed for Web.
Does Just the Docs have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Just the Docs is listed for Web.
Is Just the Docs open source?
Yes. Just the Docs is open source, according to its own site.
What does Just the Docs integrate with?
Just the Docs's listing names Jekyll, GitHub Pages, GitHub Actions and Netlify.
Who makes Just the Docs?
Just the Docs is made by Patrick Marsceill and the Just the Docs contributors.
What are the alternatives to Just the Docs?
The closest alternatives to Just the Docs in our directory are Docusaurus, MkDocs, VitePress, Docsify and Sphinx.
How does Just the Docs compare with other docs and wiki tools?
Just the Docs's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 6 of the 86 other docs and wiki tools we grade, and level with 10.
Is Just the Docs good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Just the Docs C for value for money. Just the Docs has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Just the Docs?
Just the Docs is free, so making your own would save you nothing. That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 70 of the 86 other docs and wiki tools grade higher.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Just the Docs’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Just the Docs's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Patrick Marsceill and the Just the Docs contributors. Prices change, so check just-the-docs.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Just the Docs, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/just-the-docs
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Just the Docs: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/just-the-docs
Know someone choosing between docs and wiki tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/just-the-docs/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded docs and wiki tools after Just the Docs, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Docs & Wikis Insider's GuideEvery one of the 87 docs and wiki tools we grade, compared
- Zoho Writer Insider's GuideFree online word processor with AI and document automation3.6 GPA
- Google Docs Insider's GuideBrowser-based word processor, free with a Google Account3.4 GPA
- ONLYOFFICE Insider's GuideOpen-source office suite for documents, sheets, slides and PDFs3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Just the Docs’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Just the Docs is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Patrick Marsceill and the Just the Docs contributors. Prices and plans change: check just-the-docs.com before you buy.