Starlight
Astro-based docs theme with framework-agnostic components and built-in i18n
What is Starlight?
Starlight is an open-source Astro-based documentation theme that ships with navigation, search, i18n, dark mode, and Markdown/Markdoc/MDX support out of the box. Because it runs on Astro, components from React, Vue, Svelte, or Solid all work inside docs pages. Picked by teams that want fast page loads and a polished default design without spending engineering hours on theming.
Markdown-native, local-first, docs, notes, and knowledge tools that are easy for people and AI agents to read.
See the full Markdown & Knowledge guide to compare more tools, buyer criteria, and related workflows.
Use cases to evaluate
Open source project docs with strong out-of-the-box design
Multilingual documentation using Astro's i18n routing
Mixed-framework docs embedding React + Svelte components
Performance-critical docs sites measured on Core Web Vitals
Fit to evaluate
Teams already using Astro for marketing or content sites
Open source maintainers wanting polished defaults fast
Frontend engineers who want framework-agnostic components
Projects where Lighthouse scores are a stated requirement
Business fit
Right for you if performance scores matter and you want strong defaults without theming work. Right for you if your stack mixes React, Vue, or Svelte components. Skip if your team has no Astro experience and you don't want to learn it. Skip if you need built-in versioning, Starlight has no first-class versioning story unlike Docusaurus.
How to evaluate Starlight
Use this category when knowledge is scattered across chats, private documents, and tribal memory.
Confirm the exact workflow
Map Starlight to one concrete workflow first, such as open source project docs with strong out-of-the-box design. Avoid buying before the owner, trigger, output, and success metric are clear.
Check category fit
Compare file portability, linking, search, permissions, and export options.
Compare practical alternatives
Shortlist Starlight against Obsidian, Logseq, Roam Research so the decision is based on fit, effort, and workflow ownership rather than brand recognition alone.
Validate cost and rollout effort
Free and open source (MIT license, part of the Astro project). Hosting cost only — typically $0 on Netlify, Vercel, or Cloudflare Pages free tiers. Also confirm implementation time, support needs, and whether the easy setup matches your team.
Compare Starlight with alternatives
Use this quick comparison before booking demos or moving data into a new system.
| Primary workflow | Open source project docs with strong out-of-the-box design, Multilingual documentation using Astro's i18n routing |
|---|---|
| Best-fit team | Teams already using Astro for marketing or content sites, Open source maintainers wanting polished defaults fast |
| Implementation effort | Easy setup and maintenance profile |
| Pricing check | Free plan + paid plans |
| Closest alternatives | ObsidianLogseqRoam ResearchTana |
Starlight pricing
| Model | Free plan + paid plans |
|---|---|
| Snapshot | Free and open source (MIT license, part of the Astro project). Hosting cost only — typically $0 on Netlify, Vercel, or Cloudflare Pages free tiers. |
| Checked |
Common questions about Starlight
What is Starlight?
Starlight is an open-source Astro-based documentation theme that ships with navigation, search, i18n, dark mode, and Markdown/Markdoc/MDX support out of the box. Because it runs on Astro, components from React, Vue, Svelte, or Solid all work inside docs pages. Picked by teams that want fast page loads and a polished default design without spending engineering hours on theming.
What is Starlight used for?
Common use cases: Open source project docs with strong out-of-the-box design; Multilingual documentation using Astro's i18n routing; Mixed-framework docs embedding React + Svelte components; Performance-critical docs sites measured on Core Web Vitals.
How much does Starlight cost?
Free and open source (MIT license, part of the Astro project). Hosting cost only — typically $0 on Netlify, Vercel, or Cloudflare Pages free tiers.
Who is Starlight best for?
Starlight fits Teams already using Astro for marketing or content sites, Open source maintainers wanting polished defaults fast, Frontend engineers who want framework-agnostic components, Projects where Lighthouse scores are a stated requirement. Right for you if performance scores matter and you want strong defaults without theming work. Right for you if your stack mixes React, Vue, or Svelte components. Skip if your team has no Astro experience and you don't want to learn it. Skip if you need built-in versioning, Starlight has no first-class versioning story unlike Docusaurus.
What are alternatives to Starlight?
Common alternatives to Starlight include Obsidian, Logseq, Roam Research, Tana, Capacities, Reflect.