For MkDocs & Material for MkDocs

Ask AI for your MkDocs site

Q: Does it understand our Python API reference?

Yes. mkdocstrings-generated API references (function signatures, parameters, docstring bodies) are read as documentation. Citations resolve to the right function and anchor.

Q: Does it support versioned docs?

Yes. Each version mike publishes is indexed separately, and the chatbot scopes answers to the version the reader is on. A reader on /1.x/ does not get answers from /2.x/.

Q: What about translations and i18n?

Each language under mkdocs-static-i18n is indexed as its own source. Citations resolve to the right localized URL. Readers can also ask in 60+ languages even if your docs only ship in English.

Q: How long does the install take?

Install mkdocs-biel and add the plugin to mkdocs.yml. Indexing time depends on the size of the site.

Install mkdocs-biel for a source-linked chatbot without template overrides. Add Biel page search alongside MkDocs search or in its place. Works with the default theme and Material for MkDocs.

Add Biel to MkDocs See the install code

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docs.acme.dev/api/rate-limits

Acme Docs

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Per-route rate limiting

Acme rate-limits requests per route. Each endpoint has its own bucket, configured at deploy time. Limits are enforced at the edge before requests reach your handler.

# Configure rate limit per route
curl -X PATCH https://api.acme.dev/v1/routes/checkout \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_..." \
  -d '{"rate_limit": {"requests": 100, "per": "minute"}}'

Limits apply per project token. Authenticated traffic is metered separately from anonymous traffic, and burst windows can be tuned…

100,000+ technical questions answered, 98.7% rated helpful

Install

Three ways to ship Biel on MkDocs

A floating Ask AI chatbot, a page-search input with an Ask AI handoff in the navbar, or a hosted MCP endpoint Claude and Cursor can query directly.

Full installation guide

Install the native mkdocs-biel plugin

Install mkdocs-biel and add it to mkdocs.yml. It loads the chatbot on every page without a custom theme directory or template override. Works with the default theme and Material for MkDocs.

→Floating Ask AI button on every page
→No custom_dir or template override required
→Handles Material keyboard shortcuts automatically
→Coexists with Material's built-in search

mkdocs.yml

# 1. Install the plugin:
# pip install mkdocs-biel

# 2. Add it to mkdocs.yml:
plugins:
  - search
  - biel:
      project: <YOUR_PROJECT_ID>
      header_title: Documentation AI
      button_text: Ask AI
      button_position: bottom-right

Add the search widget with Ask AI

For page search, add a small template override. The plugin already loads the widget assets, and <biel-search-button> renders a search input you can place in a navbar block. It returns matching pages and offers an Ask AI handoff when the reader needs the chatbot instead.

→Drop-in search field for the navbar
→Page results with an Ask AI handoff
→Can run alongside Material's search
→Plugin loads the required widget assets

docs/overrides/main.html

{% extends "base.html" %}

{% block extrahead %}
<link rel="stylesheet"
  href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/biel-search/dist/biel-search/biel-search.css">
<script type="module"
  src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/biel-search/dist/biel-search/biel-search.esm.js">
</script>
{% endblock %}

{% block header %}
{{ super() }}
<biel-search-button
  project="<YOUR_PROJECT_ID>"
  header-title="Documentation AI"
  button-style="rounded">
    Search
</biel-search-button>
{% endblock %}

Make your docs queryable by AI agents

Every Biel project ships with a hosted MCP endpoint. Claude, Cursor, Cline, and other MCP-compatible assistants can search your MkDocs site directly. Configure once in mcp.json or your editor’s MCP settings.

→Hosted MCP server, no self-hosting
→Same index as the chatbot, one source of truth
→Works with Claude Desktop, Cursor, Cline, Zed
→Auth via project token, scoped per-workspace

mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "biel-ai": {
      "name": "Biel.ai",
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.biel.ai/v2/YOUR_PROJECT_SLUG/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Biel.ai vs built-in MkDocs search

Honest read. The built-in Lunr search is fast, free, and ships with MkDocs. Biel provides its own page-search widget plus an Ask AI handoff to the chatbot. Many MkDocs sites run both.

Dimension	MkDocs search	Biel.ai
Query type	Lunr-based keyword and prefix matching, run client-side.	Keyword page results, with Ask AI for natural-language questions and source-linked answers.
Source attribution	A list of pages and headings where the keyword appears.	Direct answer plus a link to the specific page and section it came from.
mkdocstrings handling	Indexes function names and headings. Docstring bodies appear as raw text.	Reads docstring bodies as documentation. Cites specific functions and parameters.
Versioning (mike)	Each version has its own search; no cross-version awareness.	Per-version indexes. Scope answers to the user's current version automatically.
Material keyboard shortcuts	f, s, /, p, n shortcuts hijack input fields globally; can fight third-party widgets.	The mkdocs-biel plugin scopes widget keystrokes automatically, while leaving theme shortcuts available elsewhere.
Analytics	Material exposes a query log via plugins; default theme has none. No content-gap signal.	Unanswered questions, satisfaction trends, and a Content Gaps view that updates daily.
Languages	Lunr language packs cover ~14 languages with stemming.	Answers in 60+ languages, including languages your docs are not written in.
Install	Built into MkDocs. No install required.	Install mkdocs-biel and add one plugin entry to mkdocs.yml. No template override for chat.
Cost	Free, included with MkDocs and Material.	Self-serve. 14-day free trial, no credit card required.

Things teams ask during evaluation

Will it work with Material for MkDocs?

Yes. Both the default MkDocs theme and Material for MkDocs are supported. The mkdocs-biel plugin handles Material keyboard shortcuts automatically.

Does it understand our Python API reference?

Yes. mkdocstrings-generated API references (function signatures, parameters, docstring bodies) are read as documentation. Citations resolve to the right function and anchor.

Does it support versioned docs?

Yes. Each version mike publishes is indexed separately, and the chatbot scopes answers to the version the reader is on. A reader on /1.x/ does not get answers from /2.x/.

Can we keep MkDocs' built-in search?

Yes. Keep MkDocs search, replace it with Biel's page-search widget, or run both. The Biel chatbot remains a separate surface, and Ask AI can carry a search query into it.

What about translations and i18n?

Each language under mkdocs-static-i18n is indexed as its own source. Citations resolve to the right localized URL. Readers can also ask in 60+ languages even if your docs only ship in English.

How long does the install take?

Install mkdocs-biel and add the plugin to mkdocs.yml. Indexing time depends on the size of the site.

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