Tiara's Sphinx Theme Reference Implementation

Heads up: This is a work-in-progress reference implementation to showcase how Tiara's HTML Theming Reference can integrate with a from-scratch Sphinx documentation theme. I'll be working backwards, so expect the project to align with this README, not the other way around.

This implementation is designed to elevate Sphinx documentation through a modular, standards-driven approach. Built from the ground up using Tiara's HTML Theming Reference, this project reflects a commitment to accessibility, frugality, and adherence to the UNIX philosophy.

What This Is

• A minimalistic yet extensible Sphinx theme built with a CSS-first mindset.
• A reference implementation to show how HTML themes can integrate seamlessly with Sphinx.
• A template for developers aiming to build documentation themes with clarity and modularity in mind.

What This Is NOT

• A pre-packaged Sphinx theme ready for production use.
• A general-purpose theming framework—this is specific to the philosophy behind Tiara's HTML Theming Reference.

---

Why Use This?

For developers seeking a straightforward and modular solution, this reference implementation provides a clear and adaptable foundation. It’s designed to empower users to create documentation themes that reflect their specific requirements without unnecessary complexity.

Key Principles:

1. Accessibility First

Fully compliant with a11y standards to make documentation inclusive

2. Frugal Engineering

Lightweight, efficient design for optimal performance.

3. CSS First

Declarative styling ensures better maintainability.

4. UNIX Philosophy

Each piece does one thing well—and nothing more.

5. Customizability

Easily adapt the theme to suit your documentation needs.

---

Goals

This project demonstrates how Tiara's HTML Theming Reference integrates with documentation platforms like Sphinx by:

• Showcasing Modularity: Focusing on separation of concerns for clean, maintainable code.
• Exploring Scalability: Demonstrating how to standardize HTML theming across platforms.
• Promoting Standards: Adhering to W3C, accessibility guidelines, and UNIX principles.

For the philosophy behind this, see Tiara's HTML Theming Reference README.

---

Getting Started

1. Clone the Repo

git clone https://bitbucket.org/tiaracodes/sphinx-theme-ref.git

2. Install dependencies (POSIX-ish shells)

sh ./configure

2. Install dependencies (Microsoft PowerShell)

git submodule update --init --remote --recursive && npm install

3. Preview and experiment

TODO