bantam.hostbantam.host
Back to all frameworks
CLI Guide

Deploy GitBook with Bantam CLI

Modern documentation platform from markdown

Install Bantam CLI:

npm install -g @bantamhq/cli

View on NPM: @bantamhq/cli

Quick start:

# Build your GitBook app
gitbook build

# Deploy it
bantam deploy _book

Quick Start

1

Install GitBook CLI

Install GitBook command line tools

npm install -g gitbook-cli
2

Build documentation

Generate static HTML from markdown

gitbook build
Creates _book directory with static files
3

Deploy with Bantam

Your GitBook site is now live!

bantam deploy _book
Get an instant URL like https://my-gitbook-abc123.bantam.site

Framework Details

GitBook Configuration

Configure GitBook with book.json:

book.json:

{
  "title": "My Documentation",
  "description": "Comprehensive project documentation",
  "author": "Your Name",
  "language": "en",
  
  "gitbook": "3.2.3",
  
  "structure": {
    "readme": "README.md",
    "summary": "SUMMARY.md"
  },
  
  "plugins": [
    "search",
    "lunr",
    "sharing",
    "fontsettings",
    "theme-default",
    "-highlight",
    "prism",
    "copy-code-button"
  ],
  
  "pluginsConfig": {
    "theme-default": {
      "showLevel": true
    },
    "prism": {
      "css": [
        "prismjs/themes/prism-tomorrow.css"
      ]
    }
  }
}
GitBook uses SUMMARY.md to define your documentation structure.

Documentation Structure

Define your book structure in SUMMARY.md:

SUMMARY.md:

# Summary

* [Introduction](README.md)

## Getting Started

* [Installation](getting-started/installation.md)
* [Quick Start](getting-started/quick-start.md)
* [Configuration](getting-started/configuration.md)

## User Guide

* [Basic Usage](guide/basic-usage.md)
* [Advanced Features](guide/advanced-features.md)
  * [Feature A](guide/advanced/feature-a.md)
  * [Feature B](guide/advanced/feature-b.md)

## API Reference

* [Overview](api/README.md)
* [Methods](api/methods.md)
* [Classes](api/classes.md)

## Resources

* [FAQ](resources/faq.md)
* [Troubleshooting](resources/troubleshooting.md)
File paths in SUMMARY.md must match your actual file structure.

Build Output

GitBook generates a complete static site in _book:

  • index.html - Documentation homepage
  • gitbook/ - Core assets and plugins
  • search_index.json - Search index
  • HTML files for each markdown page
  • Navigation and search functionality
GitBook includes built-in search, navigation, and theme switching.

Advanced Usage

Custom Domain

Deploy directly to your own domain

bantam deploy ./dist --domain myapp.com

Permanent Deployment

Keep your site online forever (requires login)

bantam deploy ./dist --permanent

Custom Expiry

Set how long your deployment stays online

bantam deploy ./dist --expiry-days 7

Custom Subdomain

Choose your own subdomain on bantam.site

bantam deploy ./dist --subdomain my-project

CI/CD Integration

Add Bantam to your continuous deployment pipeline:

# GitHub Actions example
- name: Deploy to Bantam
  run: |
    npm install -g @bantamhq/cli
    bantam login --token ${{ secrets.BANTAM_TOKEN }}
    bantam deploy ./dist --domain myapp.com --permanent
Troubleshooting

Common Issues & Solutions

Quick fixes for deployment challenges

01.GitBook CLI installation failing?

Use Node.js 10.x for compatibility:

# Use nvm to switch Node version
nvm install 10
nvm use 10
npm install -g gitbook-cli

# Initialize GitBook
gitbook init

Note: GitBook CLI is legacy software, consider alternatives like VuePress or Docusaurus

02.Plugin installation errors?

Install plugins before building:

# Install plugins
gitbook install

# Or manually install specific plugin
npm install gitbook-plugin-search

# Clean and rebuild
rm -rf _book
gitbook build

03.Pages not appearing in sidebar?

Ensure files are listed in SUMMARY.md:

# SUMMARY.md
* [Page Title](path/to/page.md)
  * [Nested Page](path/to/nested.md)
  
# File must exist at path/to/page.md

04.Custom styles not applying?

Add custom CSS to your book:

// book.json
{
  "styles": {
    "website": "styles/website.css",
    "pdf": "styles/pdf.css"
  }
}

// Create styles/website.css
.book-summary {
  background: #f8f9fa;
}

.markdown-section h1 {
  color: #2c3e50;
}

05.Search not working?

Enable search plugins in book.json:

{
  "plugins": [
    "search",
    "lunr",
    "-sharing"
  ],
  "pluginsConfig": {
    "lunr": {
      "maxIndexSize": 1000000
    }
  }
}