Edit your docs
Fern provides three ways to edit your documentation: the command-line interface (CLI) for developers, Fern Editor for team members who prefer a visual interface, and Fern Writer for AI-assisted documentation updates via Slack.
Using the CLI
The Fern CLI lets you preview changes locally and publish updates from your terminal.
Preview locally
Start a local development server with hot-reloading:
This serves your documentation at http://localhost:3000.
For detailed CLI documentation, see the Fern CLI reference.
Using Fern Editor
Fern Editor is a visual editor that lets anyone on your team update documentation without learning Markdown or Git. It’s ideal for content writers, product managers, and other non-technical contributors.
Key features
Fern Editor provides rich text editing similar to Notion or Google Docs, support for Fern components like Callouts and Cards, and a GitHub-backed workflow that creates pull requests for review.
Get started
- Log in to the Fern Dashboard
- Connect your GitHub repository
- Open Fern Editor from the top navigation
Changes made in Fern Editor create pull requests automatically, maintaining your docs-as-code workflow with full Git history and review process.
For more details on Fern Editor features and supported components, see the Fern Editor documentation.
Using Fern Writer
Fern Writer is a Slack-based technical writing agent that keeps your docs aligned as your product evolves. Tag @Fern Writer in Slack with a description of the change you need, and it will create a pull request for your review.
Get started
- Get a unique Slack installation link using your Fern token and GitHub repository
- Authorize Fern Writer in your Slack workspace (must be an admin)
- Add Fern Writer to channels where your team discusses documentation
For setup details and usage examples, see the Fern Writer documentation.
