# I use GitBook and I love it

Hi guys,

Today, I will provide you with an overview of GitBook, one of the best documentation platforms I have ever had the pleasure of using.

## What is GitBook?

[GitBook](https://www.gitbook.com/) is a documentation platform on **CLOUD,** freemium and provides great features for writing documentation.

* Blazing fast and UX-friendly.
    
* Awesome WYSIWYG editor.
    
* Highly customizable (a lot of options for a free account)
    
    * 💯 Custom Domain
        
* Easy to collaborate with team members.
    
* Your documentation will be versioned similarly to how you push changes to Git.
    
* Lost your internet connection while writing? Don't worry, everything will be stored locally, ensuring you don't lose any progress and can continue working seamlessly.
    
* Fast searching on the published site.
    
* ...
    

## My Documentation Sites

Yeah, you guys wouldn't believe it if I didn't add any site here, right?

Here are they:

* [https://phattranminh96.gitbook.io/vue-form-builder/](https://phattranminh96.gitbook.io/vue-form-builder/)
    
    * Vue Form Builder - one of my OSS libraries.
        
* [https://docking.shipsaas.tech/](https://docking.shipsaas.tech/)
    
    * DocKing - Document Templates management & PDF rendering service
        
* [https://ready.shipsaas.tech/](https://ready.shipsaas.tech/)
    
    * Ready - inject every generic stuff into your new Laravel application and help you to build robust SaaS.
        

## My Reviews

I am using GitBook as a Free user for my OSS projects and I enjoy using it.

They offer many cool features for free users, which in a way contribute to the open-source software community. I truly appreciate it.

### Comparison to Docusaurus

I've been using Docusaurus too, for both of documentation site & normal website (for showcase, the home page)

With Docusaurus, I have to:

* Set up a repository.
    
* Set up a deployment pipeline.
    
    * GitHub Pages
        
    * Buy a VPS
        
* Write doc on IDE/Editor.
    
* Doing the styling on my own in the hard way.
    
* ...
    

Which could be troublesome for OSS projects or even work projects.

However, you can build the documentation site and place it under a VPN, ensuring that it can only be accessed by internal users (your company or organization). With GitBook, you need to purchase a seat for each individual who wants to read the documentation.

### Comparison to ReadTheDoc

I've used ReadTheDocs once, the self-hosted version, and for that, it is exactly the same as Docusaurus.

I haven't used the ReadTheDocs cloud version. However, it is free for open-source projects, which is a great feature that I appreciate.

GitBook features a modern UI design and includes various cool elements, while ReadTheDoc has a more traditional design that encourages users to concentrate on the content.

## Conclusion

These days, I consistently aim for an 80% focus on work and a 20% focus on documentation. This balance seems to be quite effective.

I hope with this article, you can choose a proper platform to write the documentation of your application for your team members.

Write documentation matters.

Thanks for reading! ✌️