DocBox — API Documentation Generator

BoxLang is the AI-native software productivity platform for building, modernizing and running applications, with developers and AI agents working together.

Overview

DocBox automatically parses your BoxLang or CFML source code and generates browsable API documentation in multiple output formats. It reads JavaDoc-style /** ... */ comments, class/property/function metadata, and inheritance relationships.

Published docs: https://docbox.ortusbooks.com

---

Installation

BoxLang Module (Recommended)

# CommandBox web runtimes
box install bx-docbox

# BoxLang OS runtime
install-bx-module bx-docbox

CommandBox Module

box install commandbox-docbox --saveDev

CFML Application

# Install via CommandBox into your project
box install docbox --saveDev

Add a mapping if DocBox is not in the app root:

// Application.bx / Application.cfc
this.mappings[ "/docbox" ] = expandPath( "./libraries/docbox" );

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CLI Usage (BoxLang, New in 5.0)

The boxlang module:docbox command is the fastest way to generate documentation:

# Minimal usage
boxlang module:docbox --source=/path/to/code --mapping=myapp --output-dir=/docs

# With title and excludes
boxlang module:docbox --source=/src \
                       --mapping=myapp \
                       --output-dir=/docs \
                       --project-title="My API" \
                       --excludes="(tests|build)"

# Use the frames (traditional three-panel) theme
boxlang module:docbox --source=/src --mapping=myapp \
                       --output-dir=/docs \
                       --theme=frames

# Multiple source mappings
boxlang module:docbox --mappings:models=/app/models \
                       --mappings:handlers=/app/handlers \
                       --output-dir=/docs

# Show all available options
boxlang module:docbox --help

---

Programmatic Usage

Single Strategy

new docbox.DocBox()
    .addStrategy( "HTML", {
        projectTitle : "My API Documentation",
        outputDir    : expandPath( "./docs" ),
        theme        : "default"   // or "frames"
    } )
    .generate(
        source   = expandPath( "/app" ),
        mapping  = "app",
        excludes = "(tests|build)"
    )

Multiple Strategies (Single Pass)

new docbox.DocBox()
    .addStrategy( "HTML", {
        projectTitle : "My API",
        outputDir    : expandPath( "/docs/html" ),
        theme        : "default"
    } )
    .addStrategy( "JSON", {
        projectTitle : "My API",
        outputDir    : expandPath( "/docs/json" )
    } )
    .addStrategy( "XMI", {
        outputFile   : expandPath( "/docs/diagram.uml" )
    } )
    .generate(
        source   = expandPath( "/app" ),
        mapping  = "app",
        excludes = "(tests|specs|build)"
    )

Multiple Source Directories

new docbox.DocBox()
    .addStrategy( "HTML", {
        projectTitle : "My API",
        outputDir    : expandPath( "/docs" )
    } )
    .generate(
        source = [
            { dir: expandPath( "/app/models" ),   mapping: "app.models" },
            { dir: expandPath( "/app/handlers" ),  mapping: "app.handlers" },
            { dir: expandPath( "/plugins" ),       mapping: "plugins" }
        ],
        excludes = "(tests|specs)"
    )

---

Output Strategies

HTML Strategy

Generates a browsable SPA or frameset HTML site.

Property	Required	Description
outputDir	Yes	Absolute path for output
projectTitle	Yes	Displayed in the page title
projectDescription	No	Sub-title / description text
theme	No	"default" (SPA) or "frames" (frameset). Default: "default"

Default theme (SPA): Alpine.js routing, real-time search, method tabs (All/Public/Private), dark mode toggle, Bootstrap 5.

Frames theme (traditional): Three-panel frameset, left sidebar package navigation, dark mode, Bootstrap 5.

// Modern SPA (default)
.addStrategy( "HTML", {
    projectTitle : "My API",
    outputDir    : expandPath( "/docs" ),
    theme        : "default"
} )

// Traditional frameset
.addStrategy( "HTML", {
    projectTitle : "My API",
    outputDir    : expandPath( "/docs" ),
    theme        : "frames"
} )

JSON Strategy

Generates machine-readable JSON files for tooling and CI integration:

Property	Required	Description
outputDir	Yes	Absolute path for output
projectTitle	No	Used in overview-summary.json

.addStrategy( "JSON", {
    projectTitle : "My API",
    outputDir    : expandPath( "/docs/json" )
} )

UML/XMI Strategy

Generates an XMI file for use with UML diagram tools:

Property	Required	Description
outputFile	Yes	Absolute path to the output .uml / .xmi file

.addStrategy( "XMI", {
    outputFile : expandPath( "/docs/diagram.uml" )
} )

CommandBox Strategy

Generates CommandBox-compatible command documentation:

.addStrategy( "CommandBox", {
    outputDir : expandPath( "/commandbox-docs" )
} )

---

Excludes Pattern

The excludes parameter is a regular expression evaluated against each class name and path. Matching classes are skipped.

// Skip tests and build output
excludes = "(tests|specs|build)"

// Skip specific packages
excludes = "(com\.example\.internal|legacy)"

// Skip multiple patterns
excludes = "(tests|mocks|stubs|helpers)"

---

Custom Output Strategy

Extend AbstractTemplateStrategy (which implements IStrategy) to create your own output format:

/**
 * Markdown documentation strategy for DocBox.
 */
component extends="docbox.strategy.AbstractTemplateStrategy" {

    /**
     * @param metadata  Query with columns: package, name, metadata, type, extends, implements
     */
    IStrategy function run( required query metadata ) {
        var outputDir = variables.properties.outputDir

        ensureDirectory( outputDir )

        for ( var row in arguments.metadata ) {
            var mdContent = buildMarkdown( row.metadata )
            writeTemplate(
                path     = outputDir & "/" & row.name & ".md",
                template = mdContent
            )
        }

        return this
    }

    private string function buildMarkdown( required struct meta ) {
        return "# #meta.name#" & char( 10 ) & meta.hint
    }

}

Register and use it:

new docbox.DocBox()
    .addStrategy( "docbox.strategy.MarkdownStrategy", {
        outputDir : expandPath( "/docs/markdown" )
    } )
    .generate( source = expandPath( "/app" ), mapping = "app" )

---

Backwards Compatibility

Specifying the full class path or a single constructor strategy still works:

// Full class path
variables.docbox = new docbox.DocBox(
    strategy   = "docbox.strategy.uml2tools.XMIStrategy",
    properties = { outputFile : expandPath( "/docs/diagram.uml" ) }
)

// Or short alias on addStrategy
docbox.addStrategy( "docbox.strategy.api.HTMLAPIStrategy", { ... } )

---

CI/CD Integration (GitHub Actions)

- name: Generate API docs
  run: |
    boxlang module:docbox \
      --source=${{ github.workspace }}/src \
      --mapping=myapp \
      --output-dir=${{ github.workspace }}/docs \
      --project-title="My API" \
      --excludes="(tests|build)"

- name: Upload docs artifact
  uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
  with:
    name: api-docs
    path: docs/

---

Checklist

•  DocBox installed: box install bx-docbox or install-bx-module bx-docbox
•  All public functions have /** ... */ doc comments (see code-documenter skill)
•  @doc.type added for array/struct/any return and argument types
•  excludes regex covers tests, build output, and internal packages
•  outputDir is an absolute path (use expandPath())
•  Theme chosen: "default" for SPA or "frames" for traditional three-panel layout
•  Multiple strategies added in one DocBox instance for a single-pass multi-format run