Codex

Why We Built Codex: A Ghost Theme for Documentation Teams

1 min read

The Problem

We needed a documentation platform for our products. The requirements were simple:

  • Look as polished as Stripe's docs
  • Let non-engineers update content without Git workflows
  • Support membership tiers for premium documentation
  • Self-hosted for full control over data and branding
  • Fast — sub-second page loads, no JavaScript bloat

We evaluated every option. GitBook was close but SaaS-only. Docusaurus needed React engineers for content updates. ReadTheDocs looked dated. WordPress with a docs plugin felt fragile.

Why Ghost

Ghost checked almost every box. The Lexical editor handles code blocks, tables, callouts — everything documentation needs. The membership system is built-in and battle-tested. The API makes automation easy. And it is fast.

The one thing Ghost lacked was a proper documentation theme. Blog themes do not work for docs — you need sidebar navigation, table of contents, hierarchical content structure, and code-first typography.

What We Built

Codex is a Ghost theme purpose-built for documentation. Here is what makes it different:

3-Column Layout

Sidebar navigation on the left, content in the center, table of contents on the right. Just like Stripe, Twilio, and every great docs site.

IBM Plex Typography

IBM Plex Sans for body text, IBM Plex Mono for code. Designed for technical content — excellent readability at all sizes, clear distinction between prose and code.

Code Copy Buttons

Every code block gets a copy button. Developers expect this. It is a small detail that makes a huge difference in usability.

Hierarchical Navigation

Tags become sections. Posts become pages within sections. The sidebar automatically groups content by tag, creating a natural documentation hierarchy.

Zero JavaScript Bloat

Codex ships 8KB of JavaScript — table of contents generation, code copy, mobile menu. That is it. No frameworks, no build tools, no bundle size anxiety.

Built by KONTEMI

Codex is built by KONTEMI, a design studio focused on Ghost themes for specialized use cases — education, documentation, portfolios, and SaaS landing pages.