---
title: "Embedded Documentation Assets"
description: "How documentation static assets are bundled with and served by a self-hosted instance."
---

> Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.appaloft.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Embedded Documentation Assets

## Short definition

Appaloft's binary package embeds Web console static assets and public documentation static assets **separately** — the two are packaged and overridden independently, and documentation is served at `/docs/*` by default:

```files
appaloft-static
├── web
│   ├── index.html
│   └── assets
└── docs
├── index.html
├── api
│   └── search
├── llms.txt
└── _next
```

## Why this concept exists

This design lets a self-hosted instance open complete help documentation even without public internet access, without a Node.js runtime, and without being able to pull source from GitHub. The Web console continues shipping as a console asset, while documentation ships as an independent public documentation bundle — replacing only the documentation doesn't require repackaging or replacing the Web console.

## Where you see it in Web, CLI, and API

If `APPALOFT_DOCS_STATIC_DIR` is set, Appaloft serves documentation from that directory while the Web console keeps using its own static asset source — see [Runtime Configuration Reference](/docs/en/reference/configuration/) for the full description of this variable and the rest of the runtime variable list. The override directory must be an **already-built static site**, not a source directory.

## Common mistakes

- **Treating a source directory as the override directory**: `APPALOFT_DOCS_STATIC_DIR` must point to build output (containing files like `index.html`, `_next/`, `api/search`, `llms.txt`) — pointing it directly at a documentation source directory won't work.
- **Assuming replacing documentation requires repackaging all of Appaloft**: documentation and Web console static assets are overridden independently — replacing documentation doesn't affect the Web console.

## Related tasks

- [Overriding Static Assets](/docs/en/self-hosting/static-assets/)
- [Runtime Configuration Reference](/docs/en/reference/configuration/)

## Advanced details

If deploying at a path other than `/docs/*`, build the documentation site with a matching documentation base path, or in-site links and the search index will point to the wrong location.

Source: https://docs.appaloft.com/en/self-hosting/embedded-docs/index.mdx