diff --git a/docs/conf.py b/docs/conf.py
index 812ef8c..771a6d9 100644
--- a/docs/conf.py
+++ b/docs/conf.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
     "undoc-members": False,
 }
 
-root_doc = "docs/index"
+root_doc = "index"
 templates_path = ["_templates"]
 exclude_patterns = [
     ".git",
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
     "dist",
     "docs/_build",
     "docs/_build/**",
+    "docs/index.md",
     "CHANGELOG.rst",
     "README.md",
     "SUPPORT.rst",
diff --git a/index.md b/index.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..664724c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/index.md
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# Documentation site for `jitr`
+
+`jitr` is a calculable R-matrix toolkit for nuclear-reaction modeling,
+uncertainty propagation, and optical-potential workflows.
+
+## Documentation
+
+If you are new to the project, start with
+[Getting started](docs/getting-started.md), then browse the curated
+[example notebooks](docs/examples/index.md), and use the
+[API reference](docs/api/index.md) when you want implementation details.
+
+
+## Site Contents
+```{toctree}
+:maxdepth: 2
+:titlesonly:
+:caption: Documentation
+
+docs/getting-started
+docs/tests
+docs/advanced-users
+docs/api/index
+docs/examples/index
+```