FAQ

Installation

Do I need Rust to use guidebook?

No. Pre-built binaries are available for macOS, Linux, and Windows. Just run the install script.

How do I update guidebook?

guidebook update

Usage

Where is the output?

By default, guidebook build outputs to _book/. You can change this with -o:

guidebook build -o dist

How do I change the port?

guidebook serve -p 3000

Why isn't search working in development?

The search index is not regenerated on hot reload to improve performance. Restart guidebook serve to update the search index.

Compatibility

Does it work with my HonKit project?

Yes, guidebook is a drop-in replacement. Just run guidebook build instead of npx honkit build.

Can I use JavaScript plugins?

No, guidebook uses built-in Rust implementations. Most common plugins (collapsible chapters, back-to-top, mermaid) are supported natively.

Does it support PDF export?

Not currently. guidebook focuses on web output.

Troubleshooting

"Command not found: guidebook"

Add the install directory to your PATH:

export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.local/bin"

Add this line to your ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc.

Build fails with "SUMMARY.md not found"

Make sure you're running guidebook build in the directory containing SUMMARY.md.

Images not showing

Check that image paths are relative to the markdown file:

![Image](./assets/image.png)