MkDocForge Project Roadmap

This document outlines the comprehensive project roadmap for MkDocForge using GitHub Projects, following an iterative software development approach.

Project Purpose

Core Objective

Create a comprehensive, feature-rich documentation platform powered by MkDocs with the Material theme and advanced plugins to streamline technical documentation processes for development teams.

Intended Outcomes

• A fully functional documentation system with enhanced features beyond standard MkDocs
• Simplified documentation workflow for technical teams
• Improved documentation quality and consistency through standardized templates and processes
• Better user experience for documentation readers with advanced search and navigation

Key Stakeholders

• Development Teams: Primary creators of technical documentation
• Technical Writers: Professional documentation specialists
• Project Managers: Oversight of documentation requirements
• End Users: Consumers of the documentation

Target Users

• Software Development Teams
• Open Source Project Maintainers
• Technical Documentation Teams
• DevOps Engineers

Success Criteria and Metrics

• 100% of core MkDocs functionality preserved and enhanced
• Documentation build time under 30 seconds for projects with 500+ pages
• Search response time under 200ms
• 95% test coverage for custom extensions
• Successful integration with CI/CD pipelines
• Positive user feedback (>⅘ rating) from early adopters

Project Context

Technical Environment

• Python 3.11+ runtime environment
• MkDocs core framework
• Material for MkDocs theme
• Various Python-based MkDocs plugins and extensions
• GitHub for version control and project management
• CI/CD integration via GitHub Actions

Dependencies and Prerequisites

• MkDocs 1.5+
• Python 3.11+
• Material for MkDocs 9.6.8+
• Various plugins as listed in pyproject.toml
• Development tools: rye, hatch, tox, pytest

Potential Risks and Mitigation Strategies

Risk	Impact	Probability	Mitigation Strategy
Plugin compatibility issues	High	Medium	Implement comprehensive testing for each plugin combination; maintain version pinning
Performance degradation with many plugins	Medium	High	Implement performance benchmarks; optimize plugin loading
Documentation complexity overwhelming users	Medium	Medium	Create tiered documentation with quick-start guides; implement progressive disclosure
Theme customization limitations	Medium	Low	Develop custom CSS overrides; contribute to upstream Material theme
CI/CD integration challenges	High	Low	Create detailed integration guides; provide example workflows

Roadmap Overview

Iteration 1: Foundation and Core Features (21 days)

Establish the core platform with essential plugins and basic customization.

Iteration 2: Advanced Features and Integration (28 days)

Implement advanced documentation features and improve integration capabilities.

Iteration 3: Performance Optimization and User Experience (21 days)

Optimize performance, enhance user experience, and refine documentation.

Iteration 4: Community and Ecosystem (14 days)

Focus on community engagement, contribution guidelines, and ecosystem expansion.

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Detailed Iteration Plans

Iteration 1: Foundation and Core Features

Goal: Establish the core platform with essential plugins and basic customization. Timeline: 21 days

Milestones

• M1.1: Core MkDocs setup with Material theme (Day 7)
• M1.2: Essential plugins integration (Day 14)
• M1.3: Basic customization and documentation (Day 21)

Tasks

Task: Setup Base MkDocs Configuration

• Priority: High
• Size: M
• Estimation: 3 days
• Subtasks:
  • Configure mkdocs.yml with basic settings
  • Setup Material theme with initial customization
  • Configure basic navigation structure
  • Implement responsive design settings
• Dependencies: None
• Assignee: Lead Developer
• Definition of Done: MkDocs builds successfully with Material theme and passes all configuration validation tests.

Task: Implement Core Plugin Integration

• Priority: High
• Size: L
• Estimation: 5 days
• Subtasks:
  • Integrate search plugin with advanced configuration
  • Setup mkdocstrings for code documentation
  • Configure PlantUML integration
  • Implement syntax highlighting with pymdown-extensions
  • Test plugin compatibility
• Dependencies: Setup Base MkDocs Configuration
• Assignee: Plugin Specialist
• Definition of Done: All core plugins function correctly with no conflicts and documentation builds without errors.

Task: Create Documentation Structure Templates

• Priority: Medium
• Size: M
• Estimation: 4 days
• Subtasks:
  • Design standard page templates
  • Create architecture documentation templates
  • Develop API documentation templates
  • Implement user guide templates
• Dependencies: Setup Base MkDocs Configuration
• Assignee: Documentation Specialist
• Definition of Done: Templates are created, documented, and can be easily applied to new content.

Task: Implement CI/CD Pipeline for Documentation

• Priority: High
• Size: M
• Estimation: 3 days
• Subtasks:
  • Configure GitHub Actions workflow
  • Setup automated testing for documentation
  • Implement automated deployment to GitHub Pages
  • Create versioning strategy with mike plugin
• Dependencies: Setup Base MkDocs Configuration
• Assignee: DevOps Engineer
• Definition of Done: CI/CD pipeline successfully builds and deploys documentation on each commit to main branch.

Task: Develop Custom CSS Extensions

• Priority: Medium
• Size: S
• Estimation: 2 days
• Subtasks:
  • Create custom styling for admonitions
  • Implement branded color scheme
  • Enhance code block styling
  • Optimize for print media
• Dependencies: Setup Base MkDocs Configuration
• Assignee: UI Designer
• Definition of Done: Custom CSS is applied correctly, maintains responsiveness, and enhances readability.

Task: Create Initial User Documentation

• Priority: Medium
• Size: M
• Estimation: 4 days
• Subtasks:
  • Write getting started guide
  • Create installation instructions
  • Document basic configuration options
  • Develop plugin usage examples
• Dependencies: Implement Core Plugin Integration
• Assignee: Technical Writer
• Definition of Done: Documentation is clear, accurate, and covers all basic usage scenarios.

Iteration 2: Advanced Features and Integration

Goal: Implement advanced documentation features and improve integration capabilities. Timeline: 28 days

Milestones

• M2.1: Advanced plugin ecosystem (Day 7)
• M2.2: Integration with external systems (Day 14)
• M2.3: Enhanced search and navigation (Day 21)
• M2.4: Advanced customization options (Day 28)

Tasks

Task: Implement Advanced Code Documentation Features

• Priority: High
• Size: XL
• Estimation: 7 days
• Subtasks:
  • Configure mkdocstrings with advanced options
  • Implement mkdoxy for Doxygen integration
  • Setup griffe-typingdoc for enhanced type annotations
  • Create code annotation system
  • Develop interactive code examples
• Dependencies: Implement Core Plugin Integration
• Assignee: Lead Developer
• Definition of Done: Code documentation features work correctly with various programming languages and annotation styles.

Task: Develop Diagram and Visualization Support

• Priority: Medium
• Size: L
• Estimation: 5 days
• Subtasks:
  • Enhance PlantUML integration with themes
  • Implement Mermaid.js support
  • Create custom diagram templates
  • Develop interactive diagram features
  • Optimize diagram rendering performance
• Dependencies: Implement Core Plugin Integration
• Assignee: Visualization Specialist
• Definition of Done: Diagrams render correctly in both light and dark themes, with proper responsiveness.

Task: Implement Advanced Search Capabilities

• Priority: High
• Size: L
• Estimation: 6 days
• Subtasks:
  • Enhance search plugin configuration
  • Implement search result highlighting
  • Create search result previews
  • Develop search filters and categories
  • Optimize search index performance
• Dependencies: Implement Core Plugin Integration
• Assignee: Search Specialist
• Definition of Done: Search functionality provides accurate results with highlighting and previews, with response times under 200ms.

Task: Create Integration with External Documentation Systems

• Priority: Medium
• Size: L
• Estimation: 5 days
• Subtasks:
  • Develop Swagger/OpenAPI integration
  • Implement Jupyter notebook support
  • Create integration with GitHub wikis
  • Setup automatic API documentation from code
• Dependencies: Implement Advanced Code Documentation Features
• Assignee: Integration Specialist
• Definition of Done: External documentation sources are seamlessly integrated and updated automatically.

Task: Implement Versioning and Changelog Management

• Priority: High
• Size: M
• Estimation: 3 days
• Subtasks:
  • Configure mike for version management
  • Implement automated changelog generation
  • Create version selector UI
  • Develop version comparison features
• Dependencies: Implement CI/CD Pipeline for Documentation
• Assignee: DevOps Engineer
• Definition of Done: Documentation versions are properly managed with clear navigation between versions.

Task: Develop Content Reuse and Inclusion System

• Priority: Medium
• Size: M
• Estimation: 4 days
• Subtasks:
  • Configure include-markdown plugin
  • Implement macros for content reuse
  • Create snippet library system
  • Develop content validation for included content
• Dependencies: Create Documentation Structure Templates
• Assignee: Documentation Specialist
• Definition of Done: Content can be reused across multiple pages with proper context and styling.

Iteration 3: Performance Optimization and User Experience

Goal: Optimize performance, enhance user experience, and refine documentation. Timeline: 21 days

Milestones

• M3.1: Performance benchmarking and optimization (Day 7)
• M3.2: Enhanced user experience features (Day 14)
• M3.3: Comprehensive documentation and examples (Day 21)

Tasks

Task: Implement Performance Optimization

• Priority: High
• Size: L
• Estimation: 5 days
• Subtasks:
  • Conduct performance benchmarking
  • Optimize asset loading and caching
  • Implement lazy loading for images and diagrams
  • Minify HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
  • Optimize search index generation
• Dependencies: Implement Advanced Search Capabilities
• Assignee: Performance Engineer
• Definition of Done: Documentation build time reduced by 30% and page load time under 1 second for typical pages.

Task: Enhance Navigation and Information Architecture

• Priority: High
• Size: M
• Estimation: 4 days
• Subtasks:
  • Implement collapsible navigation sections
  • Create breadcrumb navigation
  • Develop table of contents enhancements
  • Implement related content suggestions
  • Create navigation path visualization
• Dependencies: Create Documentation Structure Templates
• Assignee: UX Designer
• Definition of Done: Navigation is intuitive with clear hierarchy and context indicators.

Task: Develop Accessibility Enhancements

• Priority: Medium
• Size: M
• Estimation: 3 days
• Subtasks:
  • Implement ARIA attributes
  • Enhance keyboard navigation
  • Improve screen reader compatibility
  • Implement high contrast mode
  • Create accessibility documentation
• Dependencies: Develop Custom CSS Extensions
• Assignee: Accessibility Specialist
• Definition of Done: Documentation meets WCAG 2.1 AA standards and passes automated accessibility tests.

Task: Create Interactive Documentation Features

• Priority: Medium
• Size: L
• Estimation: 5 days
• Subtasks:
  • Implement tabbed content sections
  • Create interactive code examples
  • Develop collapsible content blocks
  • Implement tooltips and popovers
  • Create interactive diagrams
• Dependencies: Develop Diagram and Visualization Support
• Assignee: Frontend Developer
• Definition of Done: Interactive features work correctly across browsers and enhance content understanding.

Task: Implement Comprehensive Analytics

• Priority: Low
• Size: M
• Estimation: 3 days
• Subtasks:
  • Configure Google Analytics integration
  • Implement custom event tracking
  • Create documentation usage dashboards
  • Develop feedback collection mechanisms
  • Implement heatmap visualization
• Dependencies: None
• Assignee: Analytics Specialist
• Definition of Done: Analytics provide actionable insights on documentation usage patterns.

Task: Create Comprehensive Example Documentation

• Priority: High
• Size: L
• Estimation: 5 days
• Subtasks:
  • Develop real-world usage examples
  • Create plugin configuration examples
  • Implement advanced customization examples
  • Develop integration examples
  • Create troubleshooting guides
• Dependencies: All previous tasks
• Assignee: Technical Writer
• Definition of Done: Examples cover all major features with clear explanations and working code.

Iteration 4: Community and Ecosystem

Goal: Focus on community engagement, contribution guidelines, and ecosystem expansion. Timeline: 14 days

Milestones

• M4.1: Contribution guidelines and community documentation (Day 7)
• M4.2: Plugin ecosystem and extension framework (Day 14)

Tasks

Task: Develop Contribution Guidelines

• Priority: High
• Size: M
• Estimation: 3 days
• Subtasks:
  • Create contributor documentation
  • Develop code of conduct
  • Implement pull request templates
  • Create issue templates
  • Develop style guides
• Dependencies: None
• Assignee: Community Manager
• Definition of Done: Contribution guidelines are clear, comprehensive, and encourage community participation.

Task: Create Plugin Development Framework

• Priority: Medium
• Size: L
• Estimation: 5 days
• Subtasks:
  • Develop plugin architecture documentation
  • Create plugin templates
  • Implement plugin testing framework
  • Develop plugin registry
  • Create plugin development tutorials
• Dependencies: None
• Assignee: Lead Developer
• Definition of Done: Developers can create custom plugins following the framework with minimal friction.

Task: Implement Community Engagement Features

• Priority: Medium
• Size: M
• Estimation: 4 days
• Subtasks:
  • Create community showcase section
  • Implement user feedback mechanisms
  • Develop community forum integration
  • Create contributor recognition system
  • Implement documentation translation framework
• Dependencies: None
• Assignee: Community Manager
• Definition of Done: Community features encourage participation and recognize contributions.

Task: Develop Extension Marketplace Concept

• Priority: Low
• Size: M
• Estimation: 3 days
• Subtasks:
  • Create extension marketplace design
  • Develop extension metadata standard
  • Implement extension discovery mechanism
  • Create extension rating system
  • Develop extension installation guide
• Dependencies: Create Plugin Development Framework
• Assignee: Product Manager
• Definition of Done: Marketplace concept is documented with clear implementation path.

Implementation in GitHub Projects

This roadmap is designed to be implemented in GitHub Projects using the following structure:

1. Project Board Setup

   • Create a new GitHub Project (beta) with a board view
   • Configure custom fields for task tracking:
     • Priority: High, Medium, Low (dropdown)
     • Size: XS, S, M, L, XL (dropdown)
     • Estimation: Number field (days)
     • Assignee: Person field
     • Dependencies: Text field
     • Definition of Done: Text field
   • Create custom views:
     • Iteration Planning view (grouped by Iteration)
     • Current Sprint view (filtered by active sprint)
     • Backlog view (all unassigned items)
     • Roadmap view (timeline visualization)

2. Milestone Configuration

   • Create repository milestones that align with the roadmap iterations:
     • Milestone 1: Foundation and Core Features (21 days)
     • Milestone 2: Advanced Features and Integration (28 days)
     • Milestone 3: Performance Optimization and User Experience (21 days)
     • Milestone 4: Community and Ecosystem (14 days)
   • Configure milestone due dates based on project timeline
   • Link milestones to corresponding iterations in the project board

3. Issue Templates

   • Create issue templates for different task types:
     • Feature Implementation template
     • Bug Fix template
     • Documentation template
     • Research Spike template
   • Include fields that map to custom fields in the project board
   • Add checklist items for Definition of Done criteria

4. Label System

   • Create a hierarchical label system:
     • Iteration labels: iteration-1, iteration-2, iteration-3, iteration-4
     • Priority labels: priority-high, priority-medium, priority-low
     • Size labels: size-xs, size-s, size-m, size-l, size-xl
     • Type labels: feature, bug, documentation, research
     • Status labels: blocked, in-progress, review, done
   • Apply consistent color coding for better visual organization

5. Automation Rules

   • Configure GitHub Actions for project automation:
     • Automatically assign new issues to the project board
     • Move issues to appropriate columns based on status changes
     • Update custom fields based on label changes
     • Notify team members of blocked issues or approaching deadlines
   • Create workflow files in .github/workflows/ directory

6. Task Breakdown

   • Create individual issues for each task in the roadmap
   • Link related issues using the "Linked Issues" feature
   • Group subtasks under parent issues using task lists
   • Assign appropriate labels, milestones, and custom fields

7. Progress Tracking

   • Configure project board to show progress metrics:
     • Burndown charts for each iteration
     • Cumulative flow diagrams for overall progress
     • Velocity tracking across iterations
   • Schedule regular review meetings to assess progress
   • Update roadmap based on actual velocity and changing requirements

8. Documentation Integration

   • Link issues to relevant documentation pages
   • Create automated documentation updates based on completed tasks
   • Maintain a changelog that reflects completed milestones
   • Generate reports for stakeholder communication

9. Collaboration Workflow

   • Establish pull request review process
   • Configure branch protection rules
   • Set up automated testing and validation
   • Create communication channels for team coordination

10. Continuous Improvement

    • Schedule retrospective meetings after each iteration
    • Document lessons learned and process improvements
    • Update project board configuration based on team feedback
    • Refine estimation accuracy based on historical data