# `homeboy docs`
## Synopsis
```sh
homeboy docs [TOPIC]...
homeboy docs list
homeboy docs scaffold [--source <dir>] [--docs-dir <dir>]
homeboy docs generate --json '<spec>'
homeboy docs generate @spec.json
homeboy docs generate -
```
## Description
This command renders documentation topics and provides tooling for documentation management.
**Topic display** renders documentation from:
1. Embedded core docs in the CLI binary
2. Installed module docs under `<config dir>/homeboy/modules/<module_id>/docs/`
**Scaffold** analyzes a codebase and reports documentation status (read-only).
**Generate** creates documentation files in bulk from a JSON spec.
## Subcommands
### `scaffold`
Analyzes the codebase and reports:
- Source directories found
- Existing documentation files
- Potentially undocumented areas
This is read-only - no files are created. Use the analysis to inform documentation planning.
```sh
homeboy docs scaffold
homeboy docs scaffold --source ./my-project --docs-dir documentation
```
**Options:**
- `--source <dir>`: Source directory to analyze (default: current directory)
- `--docs-dir <dir>`: Documentation directory to scan (default: `docs`)
**Output:**
```json
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"command": "docs.scaffold",
"analysis": {
"source_directories": ["src", "src/api", "src/models"],
"existing_docs": ["overview.md", "core-system/engine.md"],
"undocumented": ["src/api", "src/models"]
},
"instructions": "Run `homeboy docs documentation/generation` for writing guidelines",
"hints": ["Found 3 source directories", "2 docs already exist"]
}
}
```
### `generate`
Creates or updates documentation files from a JSON spec. Supports bulk creation with optional content.
```sh
homeboy docs generate --json '<spec>'
homeboy docs generate @spec.json
homeboy docs generate - # read from stdin
```
**JSON Spec Format:**
```json
{
"output_dir": "docs",
"files": [
{ "path": "engine.md", "content": "Full markdown content here..." },
{ "path": "handlers.md", "title": "Handler System" },
{ "path": "api/auth.md" }
]
}
```
**File spec options:**
- `path` (required): Relative path within output_dir
- `content`: Full markdown content to write
- `title`: Creates file with `# {title}\n` (used if no content)
- Neither: Uses filename converted to title case
**Output:**
```json
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"command": "docs.generate",
"files_created": ["docs/core-system/engine.md", "docs/core-system/handlers.md"],
"files_updated": [],
"hints": ["Created 2 files"]
}
}
```
## Topic Display
### Default (render topic)
`homeboy docs <topic>` prints the resolved markdown content to stdout.
```sh
homeboy docs commands/deploy
homeboy docs documentation/generation
```
### `list`
`homeboy docs list` prints available topics as newline-delimited plain text.
## Documentation Topics
Homeboy includes embedded documentation for AI agents:
- `homeboy docs documentation/index` - Documentation philosophy and overview
- `homeboy docs documentation/alignment` - Instructions for aligning existing docs with code
- `homeboy docs documentation/generation` - Instructions for generating new documentation
- `homeboy docs documentation/structure` - File organization and naming patterns
## Workflow
Typical documentation workflow using these commands:
1. **Analyze**: `homeboy docs scaffold` - understand current state
2. **Learn**: `homeboy docs documentation/generation` - read guidelines
3. **Plan**: AI determines structure based on analysis + guidelines
4. **Generate**: `homeboy docs generate --json '<spec>'` - bulk create files
5. **Maintain**: `homeboy docs documentation/alignment` - keep docs current
## Errors
If a topic does not exist, the command fails with:
- `config_missing_key("docs.<topic>")`
## Related
- [Changelog command](changelog.md)
- [JSON output contract](../json-output/json-output-contract.md)