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Life & fun · January 19, 2023

Awkdoc: javadoc for the shell, written in Awk

I like bash, and use it as often as possible. Sometimes the projects become large. I needed a tool to help generate documentation. Makes it easier to step away, come back after some time, and re-acquaint myself with the monstrosity I've wrought. `awkdoc` generates markdown documentation from in-line comments in shell scripts.

Awkdoc: javadoc for the shell, written in Awk launched on January 19, 2023 with 11 votes, #1,377 of 3,901 launches that month and more than 75% of that year's launches. The site was still online in September 2026, 3 years on.

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In plain words

Awkdoc is a documentation generator written in Awk that extracts inline comments from shell scripts and converts them into markdown documentation. It is designed for developers who work extensively with bash and need to maintain clarity in large shell script projects. The tool helps developers understand their own code after stepping away from a project, serving as a reference guide similar to javadoc for shell scripting.

written from the facts on this page · September 2026

From the sources

Shell documentation generation from comment annotations. - carlinigraphy/awkdoc

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