Avalonia API-Reference

This project generates the Avalonia API reference documentation.

How it works

• Avalonia is linked via .gitmodule for the given release branch
• Sandcastle Help File Builder reads the Avalonia API info and generates MDX-files
• Docusaurus uses the created MDX-files to generate a static website

How to build

It is important to mind the build order.

1. build all Avalonia projects (you can use .\src\ApiDocumentation\DocumentationSources.slnx for this)
2. build any custom SHFB plug-ins
3. build the SHFB project
4. build or preview the docs website

Note

Use the build.ps1 file to run the build. Usage:

# -preview: Add this switch if you want to open the preview of the website. If this switch is missing, an optimized build will be created
.\build.ps1 -preview

Updating the Sandcastle tools

[WARNING] if you update the SHFB-nuget packages you also need to update the tools path in build.ps1

# set SHFBRoot
$env:SHFBRoot = ".\src\packages\ewsoftware.shfb\2025.9.30\tools\"

Generate the API docs for newer Avalonia version

Use the update-submodule.ps1 script to update the version to the latest stable. if you need any other branch version, you need to link the branch name for the submodule by hand.

Note

The file ./ext/Avalonia/build/SharedVersion.props stores the current version info.

Warning

Remember to commit all updates made to the submodule.

Known limitations

• The API-Reference is only available for a single version as of now.
• The search functionality is missing, but should be added soon.