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202 changes: 106 additions & 96 deletions quickstart.mdx
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -1,28 +1,32 @@
---
title: "Quickstart"
description: "Get started with Mintlify by deploying your documentation site in minutes and making your first content change with the web editor or Git."
keywords: ["quickstart","deploy","get started","first steps","tutorial","setup","onboarding"]
keywords: ["quickstart", "deploy", "get started", "first steps", "tutorial", "setup", "onboarding"]
---

After you complete this guide, you'll have a live documentation site ready to customize and update.
By the end of this guide, you'll have a live documentation site deployed and your first content change published.

## Before you begin
## How Mintlify works

Mintlify uses a docs-as-code approach to manage your documentation. Every page on your site has a corresponding file stored in your documentation <Tooltip tip="Your documentation's source code where all files and their history are stored. The web editor connects to your documentation repository to access and modify content, or you can edit files locally in your preferred IDE.">repository</Tooltip>.
Mintlify uses a docs-as-code approach. Every page on your site is a file — usually MDX — stored in a <Tooltip tip="Your documentation's source code where all files and their history are stored. The web editor connects to your documentation repository to access and modify content, or you can edit files locally in your preferred IDE.">Git repository</Tooltip>. When you push a change to that repository, Mintlify automatically rebuilds and deploys your site.

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When you connect your documentation repository to your project, you can work on your documentation locally or in the web editor and sync any changes to your remote repository.
You can edit documentation two ways:

<Tip>
Using an AI coding tool?

Copy the following prompt to add the Mintlify [skill](/ai/skillmd) and [MCP server](/ai/model-context-protocol) for better results when updating your documentation.
</Tip>
<CardGroup cols={2}>
<Card title="Web editor" icon="mouse-pointer-2" href="/editor/index">
Edit in your browser — no local setup required. Changes publish directly to Git.

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</Card>

<Prompt description="Install the Mintlify skill to get context on Mintlify project structure, components, and documentation best practices:
<Card title="CLI + local editor" icon="terminal" href="/cli/install">
Clone your repo, preview locally with `mint dev`, and push to deploy.
</Card>
</CardGroup>

npx skills add https://mintlify.com/docs
<Tip>
**Using an AI coding tool?** Add the Mintlify [skill](/ai/skillmd) and [MCP server](/ai/model-context-protocol) for better results when updating your docs.
</Tip>

Then add the Mintlify MCP server for access to documentation search. Follow the setup instructions at https://www.mintlify.com/docs/ai/model-context-protocol.md" actions={["copy", "cursor"]}>
<Prompt description="Install the Mintlify skill to get context on Mintlify project structure, components, and documentation best practices:\\n\\nnpx skills add https://mintlify.com/docs\\n\\nThen add the Mintlify MCP server for access to documentation search. Follow the setup instructions at https://www.mintlify.com/docs/ai/model-context-protocol.md" actions={["copy", "cursor"]}>
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Escaped newlines render as literal backslash-n text

Medium Severity

The Prompt component's description prop uses \\n\\n to represent newlines, but in JSX string attributes \\n produces a literal backslash followed by the letter 'n' — not a newline character. The prompt card will display raw \n text between sentences instead of line breaks. The original used actual multi-line attribute values which preserved real newlines.

Fix in Cursor Fix in Web

Reviewed by Cursor Bugbot for commit a766137. Configure here.

Install the Mintlify skill to get context on Mintlify project structure, components, and documentation best practices:

npx skills add https://mintlify.com/docs
Expand All @@ -32,45 +36,76 @@

## Deploy your documentation site

Go to [mintlify.com/start](https://mintlify.com/start) and complete the onboarding process. During onboarding, you'll connect your GitHub account, create or select a repository for your documentation, and install the GitHub App to enable automatic deployments.

After onboarding, your documentation site deploys and is accessible at your `.mintlify.app` URL.

<AccordionGroup>
<Accordion title="Optional: Skip connecting a Git provider during onboarding">
If you want to get started quickly without connecting your own repository, you can skip the Git provider connection during onboarding. Mintlify creates a private repository in a private organization and automatically configures the GitHub App for you.

This lets you use the web editor immediately. If you want to use your own repository later, go to [Git Settings](https://dashboard.mintlify.com/settings/deployment/git-settings) in your dashboard to migrate your content using the Git setup wizard. See [Clone to your own repository](/deploy/github#clone-to-your-own-repository) for details.
</Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## View your deployed site

Your documentation site is now deployed at `https://<your-project-name>.mintlify.app`.

Find your exact URL on the **Overview** page of your [dashboard](https://dashboard.mintlify.com/).

<Frame>
<img
src="/images/quickstart/mintlify-domain-light.png"
alt="Overview page of the Mintlify dashboard."
className="block dark:hidden"
/>

<img
src="/images/quickstart/mintlify-domain-dark.png"
alt="Overview page of the Mintlify dashboard."
className="hidden dark:block"
/>
</Frame>

<Tip>
Your site is ready to view immediately. Use this URL for testing and sharing with your team. Before sharing with your users, you may want to add a [custom domain](/customize/custom-domain).
</Tip>
<Steps>
<Step title="Create your project">
Go to [mintlify.com/start](https://mintlify.com/start) and complete the onboarding flow. You'll connect your GitHub account, select or create a repository, and install the GitHub App.

<AccordionGroup>
<Accordion title="Want to skip connecting a Git provider for now?">
During onboarding, you can skip the GitHub step. Mintlify will create a private repository under a managed organization and configure everything automatically — you can start using the web editor immediately.

When you're ready to move to your own repo, go to [Git Settings](https://dashboard.mintlify.com/settings/deployment/git-settings) in your dashboard and use the Git setup wizard. See [Clone to your own repository](/deploy/github#clone-to-your-own-repository) for details.
</Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>
</Step>
<Step title="View your live site">
After onboarding, your site deploys to `https://<your-project-name>.mintlify.app`.

Find the exact URL on the **Overview** page of your [dashboard](https://dashboard.mintlify.com/).

<Frame>
<img
alt="Overview page of the Mintlify dashboard."
className="block dark:hidden"
src="/images/quickstart/mintlify-domain-light.png"
/>
<img
alt="Overview page of the Mintlify dashboard."
className="hidden dark:block"
src="/images/quickstart/mintlify-domain-dark.png"
/>
</Frame>

<Tip>
This URL is live immediately. Share it with your team for testing. When you're ready to go public, [add a custom domain](/customize/custom-domain).
</Tip>
</Step>
</Steps>

## Make your first change

Choose your preferred workflow:

<Tabs>
<Tab title="Web editor">
<Steps>
<Step title="Open the web editor">
Go to the [web editor](https://dashboard.mintlify.com/editor) in your dashboard.
</Step>
<Step title="Edit a page">
Open the **Introduction** page and update the description field.

<Frame>
<img
alt="Introduction page open in the web editor with the description edited to say Hello world!."
className="block dark:hidden"
src="/images/quickstart/hello-world-light.png"
/>
<img
alt="Introduction page open in the web editor with the description edited to say Hello world!."
className="hidden dark:block"
src="/images/quickstart/hello-world-dark.png"
/>
</Frame>
</Step>
<Step title="Publish">
Click **Publish** in the top-right of the editor toolbar. The editor commits your change to Git and triggers a deployment.
</Step>
<Step title="Check deployment status">
On the [Overview](https://dashboard.mintlify.com/) page of your dashboard, watch the deployment status. Refresh your documentation site once it finishes to see your change live.
</Step>
</Steps>
</Tab>
<Tab title="CLI">
<Steps>
<Step title="Install the CLI">
Expand All @@ -82,20 +117,19 @@
npm i -g mint
```


```bash pnpm
pnpm add -g mint
```

</CodeGroup>

See [Install the CLI](/cli/install) for full details and troubleshooting.
See [Install the CLI](/cli/install) for troubleshooting and full details.
</Step>
<Step title="Clone your repository">
If you haven't already cloned your repository locally, follow the instructions in [Clone your repository](/cli/install#clone-your-repository).
If you haven't cloned your docs repo locally yet, follow the steps in [Clone your repository](/cli/install#clone-your-repository).
</Step>
<Step title="Edit a page">
Open `index.mdx` in your preferred editor and update the description in the frontmatter:
Open `index.mdx` in your editor and change the description in the frontmatter:

```mdx
---
Expand All @@ -105,69 +139,45 @@
```
</Step>
<Step title="Preview locally">
Run the following command from your documentation directory:
From your documentation directory, run:

```bash
mint dev
```

View your preview at `http://localhost:3000`.
View your changes at `http://localhost:3000` before pushing.
</Step>
<Step title="Push your changes">
Commit and push your changes to trigger a deployment:
<Step title="Push to deploy">
Commit and push to trigger a deployment:

```bash
git add .
git commit -m "Update description"
git push
```

Mintlify automatically deploys your changes. View your deployment status on the [Overview](https://dashboard.mintlify.com/) page of your dashboard.
</Step>
</Steps>
</Tab>
<Tab title="Web editor">
<Steps>
<Step title="Open the web editor">
Navigate to the [web editor](https://dashboard.mintlify.com/editor) in your dashboard.
</Step>
<Step title="Edit a page">
Open the **Introduction** page and update the description.

<Frame>
<img
src="/images/quickstart/hello-world-light.png"
alt="Introduction page open in the web editor with the description edited to say Hello world!."
className="block dark:hidden"
/>

<img
src="/images/quickstart/hello-world-dark.png"
alt="Introduction page open in the web editor with the description edited to say Hello world!."
className="hidden dark:block"
/>
</Frame>
</Step>
<Step title="Publish">
Click the **Publish** button in the top-right of the web editor toolbar.
</Step>
<Step title="View live">
On the [Overview](https://dashboard.mintlify.com/) page of your dashboard, you can see your site's deployment status. When it finishes deploying, refresh your documentation site to see your changes live.
Mintlify deploys automatically. Track the status on your [dashboard Overview](https://dashboard.mintlify.com/).
</Step>
</Steps>
</Tab>
</Tabs>

## Next steps

<Card title="Use the web editor" icon="mouse-pointer-2" horizontal href="/editor/index">
Edit documentation in your browser and preview how your pages look when published.
</Card>
<CardGroup cols={2}>
<Card title="Use the web editor" icon="mouse-pointer-2" href="/editor/index">
Edit, preview, and publish documentation directly in your browser.
</Card>

<Card title="Explore CLI commands" icon="terminal" href="/cli/index">
Find broken links, check accessibility, validate OpenAPI specs, and more.
</Card>

<Card title="Explore CLI commands" icon="terminal" horizontal href="/cli/index">
Find broken links, check accessibility, validate OpenAPI specs, and more.
</Card>
<Card title="Add a custom domain" icon="globe" href="/customize/custom-domain">
Swap your `.mintlify.app` URL for your own domain.
</Card>

<Card title="Add a custom domain" icon="globe" horizontal href="/customize/custom-domain">
Use your own domain for your documentation site.
</Card>
<Card title="Customize your site" icon="paintbrush" href="/customize/overview">
Configure branding, navigation, colors, and page layouts.
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Broken link to nonexistent customize/overview page

High Severity

The newly added "Customize your site" card links to /customize/overview, but no customize/overview.mdx file exists in the repository. The customize/ directory only contains custom-404-page.mdx, custom-domain.mdx, custom-scripts.mdx, fonts.mdx, react-components.mdx, and themes.mdx. There's also no matching entry in docs.json navigation or redirects.json. This will result in a 404 for users clicking the card.

Fix in Cursor Fix in Web

Reviewed by Cursor Bugbot for commit a766137. Configure here.

</Card>
</CardGroup>
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