mirror of
https://github.com/GitbookIO/gitbook.git
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Samy Pessé
272 lines
10 KiB
Markdown
272 lines
10 KiB
Markdown
GitBook
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=======
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[](https://travis-ci.org/GitbookIO/gitbook)
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GitBook is a command line tool (and Node.js library) for building beautiful books and exercises using GitHub/Git and Markdown. Here is an example: [Learn Javascript](https://www.gitbook.io/book/GitBookIO/javascript). You can publish book easily online using [gitbook.io](https://www.gitbook.io) and an [editor](https://github.com/GitbookIO/editor) is available for Windows, Mac and Linux. You can follow [@GitBookIO](https://twitter.com/GitBookIO) on Twitter. Complete documentation is available at [help.gitbook.io](http://help.gitbook.io/).
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## How to use it:
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GitBook can be installed from **NPM** using:
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```
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$ npm install gitbook -g
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```
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You can serve a repository as a book using:
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```
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$ gitbook serve ./repository
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```
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Or simply build the static website using:
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```
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$ gitbook build ./repository --output=./outputFolder
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```
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Options for commands `build` and `serve` are:
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```
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-o, --output <directory> Path to output directory, defaults to ./_book
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-f, --format <name> Change generation format, defaults to site, availables are: site, page, ebook, json
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--config <config file> Configuration file to use, defaults to book.js or book.json
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```
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GitBook loads the default configuration from a `book.json` file in the repository if it exists.
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Here are the options that can be stored in this file:
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```js
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{
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// Folders to use for output
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// Caution: it overrides the value from the command line
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// It's not advised this option in the book.json
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"output": null,
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// Generator to use for building
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// Caution: it overrides the value from the command line
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// It's not advised this option in the book.json
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"generator": "site",
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// Book title and description (defaults are extracted from the README)
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"title": null,
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"description": null,
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// For ebook format, the extension to use for generation (default is detected from output extension)
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// "epub", "pdf", "mobi"
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// Caution: it overrides the value from the command line
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// It's not advised this option in the book.json
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"extension": null,
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// GitHub information (defaults are extracted using git)
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"github": null,
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"githubHost": "https://github.com/",
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// Plugins list, can contain "-name" for removing default plugins
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"plugins": [],
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// Global configuration for plugins
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"pluginsConfig": {
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"fontSettings": {
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"theme": "sepia", "night" or "white",
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"family": "serif" or "sans",
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"size": 1 to 4
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}
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},
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// Set another theme with your own layout
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// It's recommended to use plugins or add more options for default theme, though
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// See https://github.com/GitbookIO/gitbook/issues/209
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"theme": "./localtheme",
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// Links in template (null: default, false: remove, string: new value)
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"links": {
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// Link to home in the top-left corner
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"home": null,
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// Links in top of sidebar
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"about": null,
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"issues": null,
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"contribute": null,
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// Custom links at top of sidebar
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"custom": {
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"Custom link name": "https://customlink.com"
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},
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// Sharing links
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"sharing": {
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"google": null,
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"facebook": null,
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"twitter": null
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}
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},
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// Options for PDF generation
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"pdf": {
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// Add toc at the end of the file
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"toc": true,
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// Add page numbers to the bottom of every page
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"pageNumbers": false,
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// Font size for the fiel content
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"fontSize": 12,
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// Paper size for the pdf
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// Choices are [u’a0’, u’a1’, u’a2’, u’a3’, u’a4’, u’a5’, u’a6’, u’b0’, u’b1’, u’b2’, u’b3’, u’b4’, u’b5’, u’b6’, u’legal’, u’letter’]
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"paperSize": "a4",
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// Margin (in pts)
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// Note: 72 pts equals 1 inch
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"margin": {
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"right": 62,
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"left": 62,
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"top": 36,
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"bottom": 36
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}
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}
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}
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```
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You can publish your books to our index by visiting [GitBook.io](http://www.gitbook.io)
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## Output Formats
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GitBook can generate your book in the following formats:
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* **Static Website**: This is the default format. It generates a complete interactive static website that can be, for example, hosted on GitHub Pages.
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* **eBook**: A complete eBook with exercise solutions at the end of the book. Generate this format using: ```gitbook ebook ./myrepo```. You need to have [ebook-convert](http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/cli/ebook-convert.html) installed. The output format could be **PDF**, **ePub** or **MOBI**.
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* **Single Page**: The book will be stored in a single printable HTML page. This format is used for conversion to PDF or eBook. Generate this format using: ```gitbook build ./myrepo -f page```.
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* **JSON**: This format is used for debugging or extracting metadata from a book. Generate this format using: ```gitbook build ./myrepo -f json```.
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## Book Format
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A book is a Git repository containing at least 2 files: `README.md` and `SUMMARY.md`.
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#### README.md
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Typically, this should be the introduction for your book. It will be automatically added to the final summary.
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#### SUMMARY.md
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The `SUMMARY.md` defines your book's structure. It should contain a list of chapters, linking to their respective pages.
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Example:
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```
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# Summary
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This is the summary of my book.
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* [section 1](section1/README.md)
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* [example 1](section1/example1.md)
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* [example 2](section1/example2.md)
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* [section 2](section2/README.md)
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* [example 1](section2/example1.md)
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```
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Files that are not included in `SUMMARY.md` will not be processed by `gitbook`.
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#### Exercises
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A book can contain interactive exercises (currently only in Javascript but Python and Ruby are coming soon ;) ). An exercise is a code challenge provided to the reader, who is given a code editor to write a solution which is checked against the book author's validation code.
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An exercise is defined by 4 simple parts:
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* Exercise **Message**/Goals (in markdown/text)
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* **Initial** code to show to the user, providing a starting point
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* **Solution** code, being a correct solution to the exercise
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* **Validation** code that tests the correctness of the user's input
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Exercises need to start and finish with a separation bar (```---``` or ```***```). It should contain 3 code elements (**base**, **solution** and **validation**). It can contain a 4th element that provides **context** code (functions, imports of libraries, etc which shouldn't be displayed to the user).
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---
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Define a variable `x` equal to 10.
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```js
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var x =
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```
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```js
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var x = 10;
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```
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```js
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assert(x == 10);
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```
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```js
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// This is context code available everywhere
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// The user will be able to call magicFunc in his code
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function magicFunc() {
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return 3;
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}
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```
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---
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#### Multi-Languages
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GitBook supports building books written in multiple languages. Each language should be a sub-directory following the normal GitBook format, and a file named `LANGS.md` should be present at the root of the repository with the following format:
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```
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* [English](en/)
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* [French](fr/)
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* [Español](es/)
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```
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You can see a complete example with the [Learn Git](https://github.com/GitbookIO/git) book.
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#### Ignoring files & folders
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GitBook will read the `.gitignore`, `.bookignore` and `.ignore` files to get a list of files and folders to skip. (The format inside those files follows the same convention as `.gitignore`)
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#### Cover
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A cover image can be set by creating a file: **/cover.jpg**.
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The best resolution is **1800x2360**. The generation of the cover can be done automatically using the plugin [autocover](https://github.com/GitbookIO/plugin-autocover).
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A small version of the cover can also be set by creating a file: **/cover_small.jpg**.
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#### Publish your book
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The platform [GitBook.io](https://www.gitbook.io/) is like an "Heroku for books": you can create a book on it (public, paid, or private) and update it using **git push**.
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#### Plugins
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Plugins can used to extend your book's functionality. Read [GitbookIO/plugin](https://github.com/GitbookIO/plugin) for more information about how to build a plugin for GitBook.
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##### Default plugins:
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* [mathjax](https://github.com/GitbookIO/plugin-mathjax): displays mathematical notation in the book.
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* [mixpanel](https://github.com/GitbookIO/plugin-mixpanel): Mixpanel tracking for your book
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##### Other plugins:
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* [Google Analytics](https://github.com/GitbookIO/plugin-ga): Google Analytics tracking for your book
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* [Disqus](https://github.com/GitbookIO/plugin-disqus): Disqus comments integration in your book
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* [Autocover](https://github.com/GitbookIO/plugin-autocover): Generate a cover for your book
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* [Transform annoted quotes to notes](https://github.com/erixtekila/gitbook-plugin-richquotes): Allow extra markdown markup to render blockquotes as nice notes
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* [Send code to console](https://github.com/erixtekila/gitbook-plugin-toconsole): Evaluate javascript block in the browser inspector's console
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* [Revealable sections](https://github.com/mrpotes/gitbook-plugin-reveal): Reveal sections of the page using buttons made from the first title in each section
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* [Markdown within HTML](https://github.com/mrpotes/gitbook-plugin-nestedmd): Process markdown within HTML blocks - allows custom layout options for individual pages
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* [Bootstrap JavaScript plugins](https://github.com/mrpotes/gitbook-plugin-bootstrapjs): Use the [Bootstrap JavaScript plugins](http://getbootstrap.com/javascript) in your online GitBook
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* [Piwik Open Analytics](https://github.com/emmanuel-keller/gitbook-plugin-piwik): Piwik Open Analytics tracking for your book
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* [Heading Anchors](https://github.com/rlmv/gitbook-plugin-anchors): Add linkable Github-style anchors to headings
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* [JSBin](https://github.com/jcouyang/gitbook-plugin-jsbin): Ebedded jsbin frame into your book
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#### Debugging
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You can use the environment variable `DEBUG=true` to get better error messages (with stack trace). For example:
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```
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$ export DEBUG=true
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$ gitbook build ./
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```
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