BookStack
Opinionated documentation wiki (shelves, books, chapters, pages) with .env config and a token REST API.
BookStack is a PHP/Laravel documentation platform that organizes content as shelves, books, chapters, and pages with WYSIWYG and markdown editors, roles and permissions, and many auth methods. Its REST API, documented at /api/docs on every instance, covers content, search, users, permissions, attachments, and audit log with token auth. MIT; development now lives on Codeberg.
- you need an internal manual or client documentation site with roles and SSO, without a per-seat price
- you want an agent to write and file runbooks into books and chapters over a token API
- Primary development moved to codeberg.org/bookstack/bookstack; GitHub is a mirror, and issues go to Codeberg
- Needs PHP and MySQL/MariaDB; the docker-compose.yml in the repo is for development, and Docker images are community-maintained (linuxserver.io, solidnerd)
- API tokens need the Access System API permission; default rate limit 180 requests per minute
Last activity Sep 2, 2026. Fit: adaptable 3, operable 3.
Adaptable: what is yours to change
Make it yours
Config only17 things to edit
.env.example names the surface: APP_KEY, APP_URL, DB_HOST, DB_DATABASE, DB_USERNAME, DB_PASSWORD, MAIL_* for email, STORAGE_TYPE for uploads; the docs add AUTH_METHOD (standard, ldap, saml2, oidc), LDAP_*, OIDC_*, and theming through a themes folder. No code edits for a standard deployment; visual and logic overrides go through the documented theme system.
- Env vars
APP_KEYAPP_URLDB_HOSTDB_DATABASEDB_USERNAMEDB_PASSWORDMAIL_DRIVERMAIL_HOSTMAIL_PORTMAIL_USERNAMEMAIL_PASSWORDMAIL_FROMMAIL_FROM_NAMEMAIL_ENCRYPTIONSTORAGE_TYPEAUTH_METHOD- Config files
.env- Prompt files
- none
- Accounts you need
- LDAP, SAML2, or OIDC provider (optional)
Source
- github.com/BookStackApp/BookStack
- MIT license
- Last commit Sep 2, 2026
- 19,018 stars
Operable: what an agent can drive
Interface
OfficialAPIpublished by the builderlocal
How an agent can drive an Operable Listing, in five levels: native (built for the agent as the primary interface), official (the Builder ships an agent interface), wrapped (a third party wraps the software's API), config (an agent can only drive it by editing files), gui (screen control only). An interface is official only when it is published by the same organization that ships the software. GUI-level Listings are allowed and sorted last.
Reach
Partial coverage. 9 of 10 jobs reachable through the stated interface.
| Job | Through the interface | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Create and edit pages, chapters, books, and shelves | Reachable | api/docs resource groups Pages, Chapters, Books, Shelves |
| Search content | Reachable | Search resource |
| Attachments and image gallery | Reachable | Attachments and Image Gallery resources |
| Users, roles, and content permissions | Reachable | Users, Roles, Content Permissions resources |
| Tag content | Reachable | Tags resource plus tags on content payloads |
| Comments | Reachable | Comments resource listed in api/docs |
| Export pages and books (HTML, PDF, text, markdown) | Reachable | export endpoints on pages, chapters, books |
| Audit log and recycle bin | Reachable | Audit Log and Recycle Bin resources |
| Import content | Reachable | Imports resource |
| Diagrams (diagrams.net drawings) and WYSIWYG editing | Not reachable | editor-side features; API takes HTML or markdown only |
Code stack
- Languages
- PHPJavaScript
- Frameworks
- Laravel
- Package manager
- composer
- Database
- MySQLMariaDB
- Hosting target
- linuxdocker (community images)
- Built
- Human-written (recorded, never ranked)
Evidence and confidence
| Field | Where it was seen | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| formFactor | README: Laravel web app; installation docs | 95% |
| executionModel | no model in the stack | 95% |
| operability | demo.bookstackapp.com/api/docs: official API with token auth and resource groups | 95% |
| effort | .env.example names; docs admin section | 90% |
| editions | MIT; no paid edition; sponsors only | 95% |
| active | GitHub mirror pushed 2026-09-02 | – |
| provenance | 2015 project, no agent markers | 60% |
| reach | 90% |
Open questions
- If the Curator wants an MCP entry point: pnocera/bookstack-mcp-server (84 stars, MIT, pushed 2026-08-22) leads on stars and breadth; ttpears/bookstack-mcp (31 stars, pushed 2026-08-27) is the runner-up with the more recent push
Sources
- github.com/BookStackApp/BookStack sourcing:notes-knowledge:github
- demo.bookstackapp.com/api/docs analysis