wtf is readthedocs.org?

This repository contains the source code behind Read the Docs, a popular service that hosts and builds documentation for open source projects. Instead of manually writing, compiling, and uploading help guides or technical docs every time your software changes, this platform automates the entire process. The core idea is what they call "Continuous Documentation", whenever you update your code, your published documentation updates right alongside it automatically. At a high level, the service connects directly to your code repository, whether that is on GitHub, GitLab, Subversion, Bazaar, or Mercurial. When you save new changes to your project, Read the Docs detects the update, grabs the latest text, builds a polished and readable documentation website, and hosts it for you. It specifically works with documentation written in a formatting language called reStructuredText, using a documentation generator tool called Sphinx. The end result is a living, web-based manual that never falls behind the actual software it describes. Anyone building an open source project who wants to provide a professional, easily accessible manual to their users would rely on this. For example, if a team launches a new Python library, they can write their user guide directly inside their code repository. By linking their project to this platform, every time they push an update to GitHub, the public-facing website reflects those changes immediately without any extra steps. The README highlights a straightforward setup process for GitHub users, making it clear how seamlessly the two services integrate. By creating an account and toggling a simple webhook in your repository settings, the connection is complete. This focus on removing friction makes it an essential tool for maintainers who want to keep their community informed without spending time on manual publishing tasks. The code itself is open source, allowing the community to contribute to the platform's ongoing development.