Shapes Inc Documentation

Welcome to the official documentation repository for Shapes Inc! This repository contains all user guides, getting started materials, and help documentation for the Shapes platform.

About This Repository

This documentation is built with Mintlify and automatically deploys to our documentation site when changes are merged to the main branch.

Quick Start for Contributors

Prerequisites

1. Install Node.js (version 19 or higher)
2. Install the Mintlify CLI globally:

   npm i -g mintlify

Local Development

1. Clone this repository
2. Navigate to the documentation folder
3. Run the development server:

   mintlify dev

4. Open your browser to http://localhost:3000 to preview changes

How to Update Documentation

Adding a New Page

1. Create the MDX file in the root directory using kebab-case naming:

   my-new-guide.mdx
   

2. Add proper frontmatter to your MDX file:

   ---
   title: 'My New Guide'
   description: 'A helpful description of what this guide covers.'
   ---
   
   # My New Guide
   
   Your content here...

3. Update docs.json to include your new page in the navigation:

   {
     "group": "User Guides",
     "pages": [
       "existing-page",
       "my-new-guide"  // Add your new page here
     ]
   }

Editing Existing Pages

1. Find the .mdx file you want to edit
2. Make your changes using Markdown syntax
3. Test locally with mintlify dev
4. Commit and push your changes

Removing Pages

1. Delete the MDX file
2. Remove from docs.json - This is critical! Remove the page reference from the navigation structure
3. Update any internal links that pointed to the deleted page

docs.json Management

The docs.json file controls the site configuration and navigation. Always update this file when adding, removing, or reorganizing pages.

Current Structure

{
  "navigation": {
    "groups": [
      {
        "group": "Getting Started",
        "pages": [
          "introduction",
          "welcome-to-shapes", 
          "make-or-recover-account"
        ]
      },
      {
        "group": "User Guides",
        "pages": [
          "user-guide",
          "how-to-make-a-shape",
          "how-to-make-high-quality-shape"
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Best Practices

• File Naming: Use kebab-case for all file names (my-guide.mdx, not My Guide.mdx)
• Always Update Navigation: When adding/removing files, update docs.json immediately
• Test Locally: Run mintlify dev to test changes before committing
• Clear Titles: Use descriptive titles in frontmatter
• Consistent Structure: Follow the existing page structure and formatting

What NOT to Do

• Don't create files without adding them to docs.json
• Don't use spaces or special characters in file names
• Don't leave empty placeholder files (they'll be removed)
• Don't reference deleted files in docs.json navigation
• Don't commit broken links or 404s

Content Guidelines

Writing Style

• Use clear, concise language
• Write in second person ("you")
• Include helpful examples and screenshots
• Break content into digestible sections

Markdown Features

We support all standard Markdown plus Mintlify components:

• <Card> components for call-to-action sections
• <CardGroup> for organizing multiple cards
• <Accordion> for collapsible content
• Code blocks with syntax highlighting
• Images and media embeds

Deployment Process

1. Create a branch for your changes
2. Make your updates following the guidelines above
3. Test locally with mintlify dev
4. Create a Pull Request to the main branch
5. Review and merge - Changes auto-deploy to production

Current Site Structure

• Getting Started - Introduction, welcome, and account setup
• User Guides - How-to guides and tutorials for using Shapes

Troubleshooting

• Mintlify dev not working: Run mintlify install to reinstall dependencies
• 404 errors: Check that all files referenced in docs.json actually exist
• Build fails: Verify docs.json syntax is valid JSON
• Navigation missing: Ensure new pages are added to docs.json navigation

Support

• For documentation issues: Create an issue in this repository
• For Shapes platform support: Email hi@shapes.inc
• For technical questions: Check our User Guide

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Made with ❤️ by the Shapes Inc team