Installation
helpbase ships as a scaffolder that creates a standalone Next.js project. No runtime dependency on the helpbase monorepo.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18+
- pnpm (recommended) or npm
Create a new project
1
Run the scaffolder
npx create-helpbase my-docs
This creates a new directory with a complete help center project.
2
Install dependencies
cd my-docs
pnpm install
3
Start the dev server
pnpm dev
Open http://localhost:3000 to see your help center running locally.
What the scaffolder creates
The scaffolder copies a production-ready help center with:
- 8 MDX components (Callout, Accordion, Steps, Tabs, CardGroup, CtaCard, Figure, Video)
- Sample content with getting started, customization, and component reference articles
- Search powered by client-side indexing (Cmd+K)
- Dark mode with next-themes
- Responsive sidebar with mobile support
- SEO metadata with Open Graph tags
Note
The scaffolded project is completely standalone. It has no dependency on the helpbase monorepo or any workspace packages.
Adding to an existing project
If you already have a Next.js + shadcn project, use the registry instead:
npx shadcn add https://helpbase.dev/r/help-center.json
This adds the help center components, content pipeline, and routes to your existing project without replacing your layout or configuration.