How to Install Sphinx-Doc on Ubuntu / CentOS

Sphinx Documentation Generator is web software written in python and based on jinja template features for direct HTML outputs that makes it so fast to open on your browsers. It is used to create any documentation for any projects using reStructuredText (rst) Markups. It makes documentation Project much easier using its rich features. this tutorial explains installation and configuration using step by step procedures.

Install Sphinx Documentation Generator

Step-1 (Install Required Modules)

On Ubuntu and its derivatives

Update the repositories

# apt-get update

Installing required packages

# apt-get install python-pip python-dev apache2

On CentOS and its derivatives

Installing and Enabling EPEL repository

# yum install epel-release

Installing required packages

# yum install python-pip python-devel httpd

Step-2 (Install Sphinx using Python Package manager)

Upgrade the Python Package manager

# pip install --upgrade pip

Installing the Setuptools

# easy_install -U setuptools

Installing Sphinx

# pip install sphinx

Configure the Sphinx Documentation Generator

Step-1 (Select the path for Installing the Sphinx)

Change the directory to where we will going to install sphinx software.

# cd /var/www/html/

Step-2 ( Run the Sphinx setup scripts)

Run the auto sphinx setup script and select the recommended options during running the setup

# sphinx-quickstart

Step-3 (Create the Static HTML files)

# make html

Step-4 (Create the Index file)

Rename the your project HTML files to index HTML to work properly with Apache web server

# cp -rv /var/www/html/_build/html/yourproject.html /var/www/html/_build/html/index.html

Step-5 (Add the Static files path to Apache Virtual Configuration files)

On Ubuntu and its derivatives

# vi /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf

On CentOS and its derivatives

# vi /etc/httpd/conf.d/welcome.conf

Remove all the default lines after that Add the given lines

<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost
DocumentRoot /var/www/html/_build/html/
</VirtualHost>

Step-6 (Restart the Apache Services)

On Ubuntu and its derivatives

# sudo systemctl restart apache2

On CentOS and its derivatives

# sudo systemctl restart httpd

Step-7 (Check Sphinx website whether its is working or not)

Now your Sphinx python Document Generator Website is live on your server IP.

Step-8 (Add the data to the source files)

# vi /var/www/html/_build/html/_sources/yourproject.txt

It uses reStructuredText for plaintext markup syntax.For more information and reference use the Sphinx python Doc official Website.

That’s all for now.