---
name: "sphinx-quickstart"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "python-sphinx"
version: "9.1.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/sphinx-quickstart"
---

# sphinx-quickstart(1)

Sphinx documentation template generator

## NAME

sphinx-quickstart - Sphinx documentation template generator

## SYNOPSIS

**sphinx-quickstart**

## DESCRIPTION

**sphinx-quickstart** is an interactive tool that asks some questions about your project and then generates a complete documentation directory and sample Makefile to be used with **[sphinx-build(1)](/sphinx-build/1.md)**.

## OPTIONS

- **-q, --quiet**

  Quiet mode that skips the interactive wizard for specifying options. This option requires *-p*, *-a* and *-v* options.

- **-h, --help, --version**

  Display usage summary or Sphinx version.

Structure Options

- **--sep**

  If specified, separate source and build directories.

- **--no-sep**

  If specified, create build directory under source directory.

- **--dot=DOT**

  Inside the root directory, two more directories will be created; "\_templates" for custom HTML templates and "\_static" for custom stylesheets and other static files. You can enter another prefix (such as ".") to replace the underscore.

Project Basic Options

- **-p PROJECT, --project=PROJECT**

  Project name will be set. (see **project** \<#confval-project\>).

- **-a AUTHOR, --author=AUTHOR**

  Author names. (see **copyright** \<#confval-copyright\>).

- **-v VERSION**

  Version of project. (see **version** \<#confval-version\>).

- **-r RELEASE, --release=RELEASE**

  Release of project. (see **release** \<#confval-release\>).

- **-l LANGUAGE, --language=LANGUAGE**

  Document language. (see **language** \<#confval-language\>).

- **--suffix=SUFFIX**

  Source file suffix. (see **source\_suffix** \<#confval-source\_suffix\>).

- **--master=MASTER**

  Master document name. (see **root\_doc** \<#confval-root\_doc\>).

Extension Options

- **--ext-autodoc**

  Enable **sphinx.ext.autodoc** \<#module-sphinx.ext.autodoc\> extension.

- **--ext-doctest**

  Enable *sphinx.ext.doctest* extension.

- **--ext-intersphinx**

  Enable *sphinx.ext.intersphinx* extension.

- **--ext-todo**

  Enable *sphinx.ext.todo* extension.

- **--ext-coverage**

  Enable *sphinx.ext.coverage* extension.

- **--ext-imgmath**

  Enable *sphinx.ext.imgmath* extension.

- **--ext-mathjax**

  Enable *sphinx.ext.mathjax* extension.

- **--ext-ifconfig**

  Enable *sphinx.ext.ifconfig* extension.

- **--ext-viewcode**

  Enable *sphinx.ext.viewcode* extension.

- **--ext-githubpages**

  Enable *sphinx.ext.githubpages* extension.

- **--extensions=EXTENSIONS**

  Enable arbitrary extensions.

Makefile and Batchfile Creation Options

- **--use-make-mode (-m), --no-use-make-mode (-M)**

  **Makefile/make.bat** uses (or doesn't use) make-mode \<#make-mode\>. Default is **use**, which generates a more concise **Makefile/make.bat**.

  Changed in version 1.5: make-mode is default.

  Changed in version 7.3: Support for disabling the make-mode will be removed in Sphinx 8.

  Removed in version 8.0: The **--no-use-make-mode** option. The **--use-make-mode** now has no effect.

- **--makefile, --no-makefile**

  Create (or not create) makefile.

- **--batchfile, --no-batchfile**

  Create (or not create) batchfile

Project templating

Added in version 1.5: Project templating options for sphinx-quickstart

- **-t, --templatedir=TEMPLATEDIR**

  Template directory for template files.  You can modify the templates of sphinx project files generated by quickstart.  Following Jinja2 template files are allowed:

  - •

    **root\_doc.rst.jinja**

  - •

    **conf.py.jinja**

  - •

    **Makefile.jinja**

  - •

    **Makefile.new.jinja**

  - •

    **make.bat.jinja**

  - •

    **make.bat.new.jinja**

  In detail, please refer the system template files Sphinx provides. (**sphinx/templates/quickstart**)

- **-d NAME=VALUE**

  Define a template variable

## SEE ALSO

**[sphinx-build(1)](/sphinx-build/1.md)**

## Copyright

2007-2026, the Sphinx developers