---
id: cli
title: CLI
---

Docusaurus provides a set of scripts to help you generate, serve, and deploy your website.

Once your website is bootstrapped, the website source will contain the Docusaurus scripts that you can invoke with your package manager:

```json title="package.json"
{
  // ...
  "scripts": {
    "start": "docusaurus start",
    "build": "docusaurus build",
    "swizzle": "docusaurus swizzle",
    "deploy": "docusaurus deploy"
  }
}
```

## Docusaurus CLI commands

Below is a list of Docusaurus CLI commands and their usages:

<!-- TODO: init docs after the init command is implemented

### `docusaurus init`

The `docusaurus init` command is intended to be used with `docusaurus` installed globally:

```shell
$ yarn global add docusaurus
# or
$ npm install --global docusaurus
```
-->

### `docusaurus start`

Builds and serves a preview of your site locally with [Webpack Dev Server](https://webpack.js.org/configuration/dev-server).

#### Options

| Name | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `--port` | `3000` | Specifies the port of the dev server. |
| `--host` | `localhost` | Specify a host to use. For example, if you want your server to be accessible externally, you can use `--host 0.0.0.0`. |
| `--hot-only` | `false` | Enables Hot Module Replacement without page refresh as fallback in case of build failures. More information [here](https://webpack.js.org/configuration/dev-server/#devserverhotonly). |
| `--no-open` | `false` | Do not open automatically the page in the browser. |
| `--poll` | `false` | Use polling of files rather than watching for live reload as a fallback in environments where watching doesn't work. More information [here](https://webpack.js.org/configuration/watch/#watchoptionspoll). |

:::important

Please note that some functionality (for example, anchor links) will not work in development. The functionality will work as expected in production.

:::

### `docusaurus build`

Compiles your site for production.

#### Options

| Name | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `--bundle-analyzer` | `false` | Analyze your bundle with the [webpack bundle analyzer](https://github.com/webpack-contrib/webpack-bundle-analyzer). |
| `--out-dir` | `build` | The full path for the new output directory, relative to the current workspace. |
| `--no-minify` | `false` | Build website without minimizing JS/CSS bundles. |

### `docusaurus swizzle`

:::caution

We highly discourage swizzling of components until we've reached a Beta stage. The components APIs have been changing rapidly and are likely to keep changing until we reach Beta. Stick with the default appearance for now if possible to save yourself some potential pain in future.

:::

Change any Docusaurus theme components to your liking with `docusaurus swizzle`.

```shell
docusaurus swizzle <themeName> [componentName] [siteDir]

# Example (leaving out the siteDir to indicate this directory)
docusaurus swizzle @docusaurus/theme-classic DocSidebar
```

Running the command will copy the relevant theme files to your site folder. You may then make any changes to it and Docusaurus will use it instead of the one provided from the theme.

#### Options

| Name               | Description                           |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------- |
| `themeName`        | The name of the theme you are using.  |
| `swizzleComponent` | The name of the component to swizzle. |

To unswizzle a component, simply delete the files of the swizzled component.

<!--
TODO a separate section for swizzle tutorial.
To learn more about swizzling, check [here](#).
-->

### `docusaurus deploy`

Deploys your site with [GitHub Pages](https://pages.github.com/). Check out the docs on [deployment](deployment.md/#deploying-to-github-pages) for more details.

#### Options

| Name | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `--out-dir` | `build` | The full path for the new output directory, relative to the current workspace. |
