Open-source feature set
The complete functionality included in the free M-Press binary and generated site.
M-Press is MIT licensed. The open-source binary builds and publishes a complete documentation site. It is not a limited preview of the hosted product.
Authoring and presentation
| Included capability | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Markdown authoring | CommonMark, tables, task lists, footnotes, heading IDs, frontmatter, and ordinary HTML. |
| Rich components | Notes, tabs, steps, terminals, file trees, diffs, annotated code, diagrams, data views, and interactive examples. |
| Responsive theme | Desktop and mobile navigation, page outlines, previous and next links, and light, dark, or system colour modes. |
| Custom landing pages | Full landing-page layouts written in Markdown, with custom HTML and CSS available when required. |
Reader experience
| Included capability | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Static search | A local search index for each language. Search terms do not leave the browser. |
| Accessibility controls | Reader settings for text, fonts, spacing, focus, motion, contrast, links, and colour. |
| Languages | Language routes, translated navigation, per-language search, and missing-page policies. |
| Versions | Immutable static releases with checksums and a version selector. |
| Theme controls | System, light, and dark modes with separate logos and configurable hover colours. |
Local workflow
| Included capability | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Development server | Automatic rebuilds and browser reloads after a valid source change. |
| Project menu | Structured configuration, checks, Lighthouse audits, translation, ZIP export, deployment, and onboarding. |
| Contribution flow | A site visitor can copy one command, clone the source, create a safe branch, and open a private contribution wizard. |
| Strict validation | Duplicate routes, unsupported MDX, broken links, missing assets, and invalid configuration stop a release. |
| Starlight migration | Import pages, navigation, languages, supported components, assets, and configuration with an explicit review report. |
| Static deployment | Export a production ZIP or deploy static output without a server-side M-Press runtime. |
Translation
The open-source translator can use OpenRouter, OpenAI, or another compatible provider. It protects Markdown structure, code, links, HTML, components, and placeholders. It also tracks missing, stale, manually edited, conflicting, reviewed, and final text.
The M-Press translation workflow is free. A model provider may charge for API usage. The generated site never needs the provider or an API key.
See Translate documentation for the complete workflow.
Performance and output
M-Press uses parallel parsing and a persistent content cache. Production builds include Go-native CSS and JavaScript minification and safe unused-CSS removal. The output contains static HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JSON, and assets. It can run on any static host.
See Why M-Press is fast for the build design.
Hosted services
The open-source binary owns deterministic local work. A hosted M-Press service can add shared and managed work that needs accounts or retained server data.
| Open-source core | A hosted service can add |
|---|---|
| Local builds and deployment output | Managed deployment history and environments |
| Local translation and review state | Shared translation memory, assignments, budgets, and vendor workflows |
| Local version artifacts | Managed storage, retention, promotion, and rollback |
| Local checks and Lighthouse reports | Shared quality history and release policies |
| Static sites with no tracking requirement | Managed privacy-aware analytics |
A subscription is not required to build, check, version, translate, export, or publish a complete M-Press site.