.. toctree::
   :hidden:
   :titlesonly:

   getting-started/index
   guides/index
   features/index
   hand-written-docs/index
   references/index
   internals/index

Documentation

Welcome to the documentation for phpDocumentor.

phpDocumentor is the de-facto documentation application for PHP projects. Your project can benefit too from more than 20 years of experience and setting the standard for documenting PHP Applications.

With these tutorials, guides and references we aim to provide you with all the information that you need to optimally document your code and leverage phpDocumentor to generate an extensive set of documentation for your application.

What does it do?

By analyzing your PHP source code and DocBlock comments, phpDocumentor generates a complete set of API documentation, making it an indispensable tool for developers striving for clear and well-documented codebases.

Beyond its prowess in API documentation, phpDocumentor goes further by providing additional features. It is equipped with the ability to create UML diagrams, making it a versatile tool for visualizing code structure. Additionally, phpDocumentor offers a full-featured markup language parser, supporting both RestructuredText and Markdown syntax. This flexibility allows you to document your project using the markup language that best suits your preferences.

A notable feature of phpDocumentor is its capability to include parts of your API documentation directly into your RestructuredText documentation. This integration ensures that your documentation and code remain in sync, saving you time and effort in maintaining accurate and up-to-date project documentation.

Inspired by its predecessors, phpDocumentor 1 and JavaDoc, phpDocumentor continues to innovate, staying up-to-date with the latest technologies and PHP language features. This commitment ensures that developers have access to the best possible documentation experience, aligning with modern development practices.

In this guide, we will explore the various features of phpDocumentor, from its core functionality in generating API documentation to its advanced capabilities in parsing markup languages. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced developer, phpDocumentor is your ally in creating well-documented, maintainable, and understandable PHP projects.

Where to start?

We have divided the documentation into 4 sections:

1. :doc:`getting-started/index`, which is a series of concise tutorials that will help you get running within minutes.
2. :doc:`guides/index`, these chapters provide in-depth information in the usage and all features of phpDocumentor.
3. :doc:`references/index`, here you can find the nitty-gritty lists of commonly used components, options and configuration.
4. :doc:`internals/index`, care to contribute to phpDocumentor or interested in its architecture? Then this section is for you.