> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/vuejs/vitepress/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# VitePress - Vite & Vue Powered Static Site Generator

> Get started with VitePress, a fast and flexible static site generator built on Vite and Vue

# Welcome to VitePress

VitePress is a **Vue-powered static site generator** and the spiritual successor to VuePress. Built on top of Vite, it delivers lightning-fast development experience and optimized production builds for your documentation sites.

<Note>
  VitePress is designed specifically for building fast, content-focused websites. It's perfect for documentation, blogs, and marketing sites.
</Note>

## Why VitePress?

VitePress combines the best of modern web development:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Lightning Fast" icon="bolt">
    Powered by Vite for instant server start and lightning-fast hot module replacement (HMR)
  </Card>

  <Card title="Vue-Powered" icon="code">
    Use Vue components in Markdown and leverage the full power of Vue's reactive system
  </Card>

  <Card title="File-Based Routing" icon="folder">
    Automatic routing based on your file structure - no configuration needed
  </Card>

  <Card title="Optimized Builds" icon="rocket">
    Static HTML for each page with aggressive performance optimizations out of the box
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Key Features

### Built for Performance

VitePress generates static HTML for each page, then loads it as a single-page application (SPA). This approach ensures:

* **Fast initial load**: Static HTML is served immediately
* **Smooth navigation**: Client-side routing for instant page transitions
* **SEO friendly**: Full HTML content for search engine crawlers
* **Optimized assets**: Automatic code splitting and lazy loading

### Markdown-First

Write your content in Markdown with powerful extensions:

* GitHub-flavored markdown syntax
* Custom containers for tips, warnings, and more
* Code syntax highlighting with Shiki
* Emoji support and automatic table of contents
* Frontmatter for page metadata

### Customizable Theme

VitePress ships with a beautiful default theme that's ready to use:

* Responsive design that works on all devices
* Dark mode support out of the box
* Algolia DocSearch integration
* Customizable navigation and sidebar
* Or build your own custom theme from scratch

## Quick Links

Ready to get started? Choose your path:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Quick Start" icon="play" href="./quickstart">
    Install VitePress and create your first site in minutes
  </Card>

  <Card title="Routing Guide" icon="route" href="./routing">
    Learn how file-based routing works and how to organize your content
  </Card>

  <Card title="Deployment" icon="upload" href="./deploying">
    Deploy your VitePress site to popular hosting platforms
  </Card>

  <Card title="Configuration" icon="settings" href="/configuration">
    Customize your site with VitePress configuration options
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## What Makes VitePress Different?

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="vs VuePress">
    VitePress is the spiritual successor to VuePress, rebuilt from the ground up:

    * **Faster**: Uses Vite instead of webpack for 10-100x faster dev server
    * **Simpler**: Focused specifically on documentation sites
    * **Modern**: Built with Vue 3 and the composition API
    * **Lighter**: Smaller bundle sizes and better performance
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="vs Other SSGs">
    VitePress stands out among static site generators:

    * **Vue ecosystem**: Native Vue component support in Markdown
    * **Developer experience**: Instant HMR and fast builds with Vite
    * **Built for docs**: Optimized specifically for documentation sites
    * **Type-safe**: Full TypeScript support throughout
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Example Sites

VitePress powers documentation for major projects:

* **Vite** - Next generation frontend tooling
* **Vue.js** - The progressive JavaScript framework
* **Vitest** - Blazing fast unit test framework
* **Rollup** - JavaScript module bundler

<Warning>
  VitePress is currently in alpha. The API is stable but minor breaking changes may occur between releases.
</Warning>

## System Requirements

Before you begin, make sure you have:

* **Node.js** version 18 or higher
* A terminal for accessing the VitePress CLI
* A text editor (VS Code recommended with the Vue extension)

## Next Steps

Ready to build your documentation site?

<Steps>
  <Step title="Install VitePress">
    Head to the [Quick Start guide](./quickstart) to install VitePress and scaffold your first project
  </Step>

  <Step title="Learn the Basics">
    Explore [file-based routing](./routing) and learn how to structure your content
  </Step>

  <Step title="Deploy Your Site">
    Follow the [deployment guide](./deploying) to publish your site to the web
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

<Tip>
  New to static site generators? VitePress makes it easy. Start with the [Quick Start guide](./quickstart) and you'll have a site running in minutes.
</Tip>