Docz is a high-performance documentation engine designed to eliminate the friction between component development and technical writing. Built on a foundation of Gatsby and MDX (Markdown with JSX), it enables developers to author interactive documentation where live React components are embedded directly within standard Markdown files. As of 2026, Docz maintains its position as a preferred choice for teams who prioritize a 'documentation-as-code' workflow without the heavy configuration overhead seen in enterprise alternatives. The technical architecture leverages a pluggable system that handles TypeScript type extraction, automatic route generation, and hot-reloading through a specialized dev-server. By abstracting the complex build configurations of Webpack and Gatsby, Docz allows architects to focus on design system consistency and component accessibility. Its market position is defined by its extreme lightweight footprint and its ability to transform a directory of .mdx files into a production-ready, SEO-optimized static site in seconds, serving as a critical infrastructure layer for modern React-based design systems and UI libraries.
Docz has seen decreased activity in recent years but remains a stable, widely used tool for existing projects. Community forks and Gatsby updates keep it functional.
How does Docz compare to Storybook?
Storybook focuses on component development in isolation with CSF (Component Story Format), while Docz focuses on Markdown-first long-form documentation.
Does Docz support Vue or Svelte?
No, Docz is strictly optimized for the React ecosystem and leverages React-specific metadata extraction.
Can I use custom Gatsby plugins with Docz?
Yes, because Docz is built on Gatsby, you can extend its functionality by adding a gatsby-config.js to your project.
FAQ+-
Is Docz still actively maintained?
Docz has seen decreased activity in recent years but remains a stable, widely used tool for existing projects. Community forks and Gatsby updates keep it functional.
How does Docz compare to Storybook?
Storybook focuses on component development in isolation with CSF (Component Story Format), while Docz focuses on Markdown-first long-form documentation.
