Templates tool
Documentation and Help Center Template
Free documentation and help center template in HTML and CSS: sidebar, client-side search, copyable code blocks and dark mode. No build step.
Free, no sign-up. Runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
How to use the documentation and help center template
Documentation that is quick to read
Good documentation gets people to the answer in seconds. This template has the structure users expect: a left sidebar with sections, a clean article column, an "On this page" list on the right and a search box that works from anywhere. It is plain HTML, CSS and a small script, so it works on any static host with no build step.
Edit in the right order
- Brand. Replace "Kestrel Docs" in the header and titles, and the accent colour in the :root block of assets/style.css.
- Navigation. Edit the section list in the sidebar. It appears on each page, so update all pages when you add one.
- Content. Replace the sample articles with your own. Lead with the task the reader wants to complete, then show the shortest working example.
- Search index. Add an entry per page and per important heading in assets/search-index.js, with a short summary and keywords people might type.
- Code. Use the code block markup so every example has a Copy button.
Features worth knowing
- Dark mode: follows the system setting and remembers a manual choice.
- On this page: built automatically from the h2 headings, with the current section highlighted as you scroll.
- Search: press Ctrl or Cmd + K, type, and press Enter to open the top result.
- Notes, tables and method badges: ready-made styles for tips, warnings, parameters and GET, POST and DELETE labels.
- Feedback: a simple helpful-or-not prompt you can wire to an analytics event.
Writing tips
Use short pages with descriptive headings, one task each. Show requests and responses side by side. Keep a visible troubleshooting page with real error messages, and link to it from error responses. Date your changelog entries.
Growing it
When the content outgrows hand-edited pages, move the text to Markdown and generate the HTML with your preferred static site generator, keeping this stylesheet. DEV3 can also build a searchable help centre with accounts, ticketing and analytics on top.
Accessibility, motion and licence
The template uses semantic landmarks, a skip link, visible focus styles and readable contrast. Motion is limited to gentle fade-ins and hover states, and it switches off for visitors whose device asks for reduced motion. There is no 3D, no WebGL and nothing to load from a CDN. Everything is free for personal and commercial use, and the brand names, people and prices are fictional, so replace them before launch. The README in the zip lists every file and the first edits to make.
Frequently asked questions
How does the search work?
A short list of pages and sections lives in assets/search-index.js. The search dialog scores words in titles and text and shows the best matches, entirely in the browser. Add an entry for each page or heading you want to find.
How do I add a new article?
Copy an existing page, change the content, add it to the sidebar list on every page and add entries to search-index.js. Use h2 elements with an id so the On this page list can link to them.
How do the code blocks copy?
Wrap code in a div with class code, a pre and a code element. The script adds a Copy button that uses the clipboard API with a fallback.
Does dark mode follow the system?
Yes. It starts with the visitor system preference and remembers a manual choice in local storage.
Is it good for a large knowledge base?
It suits a few dozen pages. For hundreds, generate the pages and the search index from Markdown with a static site generator and keep this design as the theme.