Middleman
Middleman is a Ruby static-site generator with flexible templates, data files, asset processing, and extension support. We assess it for inherited Ruby documentation sites or teams already committed to that ecosystem.
Blurb
Hand-crafted frontend development
Summary
When to use: Maintain an existing Middleman site, or build a content site where Ruby, ERB, Haml, Sass, and custom extensions match the team’s skills. It remains maintained, with version 4.6.3 released in February 2026.
When to skip: Starting a new documentation site without a Ruby requirement. More common static-site ecosystems offer broader themes, integrations, and contributor familiarity.
Why it is here: HashiCorp historically used Middleman for documentation. That makes it useful context when examining older HashiCorp documentation repositories, but not an automatic recommendation for new work.
Details
| Topic | Notes |
|---|---|
| Runtime | Ruby gem; projects use Bundler and a config.rb configuration file |
| Content | Supports ERB, Haml, Slim, Markdown, YAML data, Sass, and other frontend tools |
| Workflow | middleman server for local development; middleman build for static output |
| Status | Long-lived MIT project with active 4.6.x maintenance through 2026 |
References