ExDoc review
A focused, open-source choice for versioned Elixir and Erlang documentation.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
ExDoc is an open-source documentation generator built for Elixir and Erlang projects. It creates documentation from source code and configured supplementary files, including Markdown, Livebooks, cheatsheets, and plain text. Its output covers HTML, Markdown, and EPUB, with API reference pages, custom pages, guides, syntax highlighting, and configurable grouping. That makes it a strong fit for developers maintaining libraries, applications, and published language documentation within the BEAM ecosystem.
Its integration model is closely aligned with existing Elixir and Erlang workflows. Projects can use Mix, Rebar3, or ExDoc's command-line interface, while HexDocs provides a natural destination for published documentation. Version dropdowns support navigation across documentation releases, and configurable redirects help preserve paths when documentation changes. Full-text search, autocomplete, and direct links from documented entities to source code make larger API references easier to navigate.
ExDoc's scope is focused rather than broad. It provides a free, open-source generator with substantial control over output and documentation structure, but it is not a hosted commercial service and does not include AI features. Teams working primarily in Elixir or Erlang should consider it when they want API references alongside guides and other project materials, particularly when versioned documentation and source navigation matter. Teams seeking a general-purpose tool for other programming languages or a managed hosted documentation platform should choose an alternative designed for those requirements.
ExDoc pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Generates HTML, Markdown, and EPUB documentation
- Includes API references, guides, search, and source links
- Integrates with Mix, Rebar3, and HexDocs workflows
- Where it doesn't
- Focused on Elixir and Erlang language ecosystems
- Not a hosted commercial documentation service
- Does not include AI features
ExDoc fact sheet, pricing and score →
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
Last updated · How we research and update