Doclax

Doclax is a command-line tool designed to generate different types of document formats (PDF, EPUB, MOBI) from HTML/Markdown input, with a live preview feature to see the output as you work. The tool is built with Node.js and uses several libraries like Puppeteer, epub-gen, and commander to handle various functionalities.

Features

• Convert Markdown/MDX to PDF
• Live preview server with auto-reload
• Easy configuration and customization

Overall Functionalities

1. PDF Generation: Convert HTML/Markdown into a PDF file using Puppeteer.
2. EPUB Generation: Convert HTML/Markdown into an EPUB file using epub-gen.
3. MOBI Generation: Convert HTML/Markdown into a MOBI file (for Kindle).
4. Live Preview: Start a local server to preview your content in the browser while working.

Available Commands

1. generate-pdf:

   • Description: Generates a PDF from the index.html file in the public folder.
   • Usage: npx doclax generate-pdf
   • Output: Saves the PDF in the output folder as output.pdf.

2. generate-epub:

   • Description: Generates an EPUB from the index.html file in the public folder.
   • Usage: npx doclax generate-epub
   • Output: Saves the EPUB in the output folder as output.epub.

3. generate-mobi:

   • Description: Generates a MOBI file from the index.html file in the public folder.
   • Usage: npx doclax generate-mobi
   • Output: Saves the MOBI file in the output folder as output.mobi.

4. start-preview:

   • Description: Starts a live preview server to view the content of the index.html file in the public folder.
   • Usage: npx doclax start-preview
   • Output: Opens the preview in your default web browser at http://localhost:3000.

How the Tool Works

1. Installation:

   • Clone the repository to your local machine.
   • Navigate to the directory and install the dependencies:

     git clone [email protected]:fasakinhenry/Doclax.git
     cd Doclax
     npm install

2. Usage:

   • Run any of the available commands listed above using npx doclax <command>.
   • For example, to generate a PDF, you would run:

     npx doclax generate-pdf

   • This command uses the index.html file in the public folder, generates a PDF, and saves it in the output folder.

3. Folder Structure:

   • The primary folders and files:
     • src/: Contains the main code for each functionality (e.g., pdf/generator.js, epub/generator.js, mobi/generator.js, etc.).
     • public/: Contains the index.html file used as the input for document generation.
     • output/: Created automatically to store the generated documents.
     • doclax.config.js: (Optional) Configuration file for customizing certain aspects of the tool.

4. Configuration:

   • The tool is designed to work out of the box with minimal configuration. However, a configuration file (doclax.config.js) can be added in the config folder if customization is needed.

How to Publish the Tool

1. Prepare for Publishing:

   • Ensure all dependencies are correctly listed in package.json.
   • Update the version number in package.json following semantic versioning.
   • Write a README.md file that describes how to install and use the tool.

2. Login to npm:

   • If you don't already have an npm account, create one.
   • Log in to npm in your terminal:

     npm login

3. Publish the Package:

   • Run the following command to publish the package to the npm registry:

     npm publish --access public

   • This will make Doclax available as an npm package that anyone can install and use globally.

4. Global Installation:

   • Once published, users can install Doclax globally using:

     npm install -g doclax

5. Usage After Installation:

   • After global installation, the tool can be used directly without npx:

     doclax generate-pdf
     doclax generate-epub
     doclax start-preview

Future Improvements

• Customization: Allow users to customize the output formats (PDF, EPUB, MOBI) more granularly via a configuration file.
• Template Support: Support for different templates for document generation.
• Improved Error Handling: Enhance error messages and validation to guide users when issues arise.
• Markdown Support: Integrate Markdown parsing directly to support Markdown files as input.

Packages used

Here’s what each package does:

• commander: Helps create command-line interfaces.
• puppeteer-core: Used for rendering HTML to PDF.
• remark, unified, remark-parse, remark-rehype, rehype-stringify: Handle Markdown and MDX to HTML conversion.
• figlet: Generates ASCII art from text.
• chalk: Adds color to the terminal output.
• cli-progress: Creates progress bars in the terminal.

Doclax Feature Checklist

• [x] PDF Generation

  • Generate PDF from compiled chapters.
  • Serve and preview PDF in the browser with live reload on changes.

• [x] HTML Preview

  • Convert chapters to an HTML template.
  • Serve and preview HTML in the browser with live reload on changes.

• [x] EPUB Generation

  • Generate EPUB format and serve it in the browser.

• [x] Terminal Interface Enhancements

  • Progress bar during file regeneration.
  • Figlet branding in the terminal.
  • Inquirer-based prompts for preview format selection.

• [x] File Watcher Integration

  • Automatically regenerate files and update previews using Chokidar.

• [ ] Markdown and MDX Support

  • Parse and compile Markdown and MDX content into preview formats (HTML, PDF, EPUB).

• [ ] Tailwind CSS Integration

  • Allow custom styling using Tailwind CSS in generated documents (HTML, PDF).

• [ ] Multi-Format Output

  • Seamless generation of additional formats like MOBI.

• [ ] Live Reload Enhancements

  • Improve the speed and efficiency of live reloading for large projects.

• [ ] Theming and Customization

  • Support theming and customization of documents, including templates, fonts, colors, and layouts.

• [ ] Collaboration and Versioning

  • Implement collaborative editing and version control features.

• [ ] Improved User Interface for CLI

  • Further enhance the visual appeal and usability of the CLI interface.

• [ ] Command-Line Tool Enhancements

  • Add additional commands or options to cater to a broader range of use cases.

• [ ] Efficient Image Handling

  • Optimize image handling in documents to maintain quality while reducing file sizes.

• [ ] PDF-specific Features

  • Explore additional PDF features like bookmarks, table of contents, and internal linking.