Sandcastle Help File Builder

Spec sheet

Purpose

SHFB provides tools for building help files for managed class libraries, including conceptual topics and API reference topics.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com

Security

The maker pages opened for this research provide no security or compliance claims.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com

API documentation

API reference topics combine source-code XML comments with type syntax and structure reflected from associated .NET assemblies.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com

Automated builds

The project includes command-line tools for building help files in an automated fashion.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com

Build requirements

The desktop tools and MSBuild builds require .NET Framework 4.8 or later, while builds with dotnet.exe require .NET 9.0 or later.Read 7 Oct 2026 · ewsoftware.github.io

CI integration

The getting-started documentation links to instructions for building with a GitHub workflow and Team Build.Read 7 Oct 2026 · ewsoftware.github.io

Conceptual content

Conceptual topics can be authored in Markdown or Microsoft Assistance Markup Language (MAML).Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com

GUI features

The standalone GUI lets users edit compiled-help properties and manage files associated with a help project.Read 7 Oct 2026 · ewsoftware.github.io

Installer

The guided installer includes core components, the Visual Studio extension, and optional extras, and gives instructions for tools that cannot be distributed with it.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com

Interfaces

The project offers a standalone GUI, command-line tools, a Visual Studio integration package, and MSBuild tasks.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com

Output dependencies

Building HTML Help 1 files requires HTML Help Workshop, and Microsoft Help Viewer files require Microsoft Help Library Viewer.Read 7 Oct 2026 · ewsoftware.github.io

Support and project history

The project README says Sandcastle development and support were merged into SHFB after Microsoft ceased Sandcastle development in October 2012.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com

Supported editor version

The current release includes the Visual Studio extension package for Visual Studio 2022 or later.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com

Visual Studio integration

A Visual Studio package lets users create and manage help projects within Visual Studio.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com

Plans and prices

Every Sandcastle Help File Builder plan and price →

Where Specifiction places it

• Documentation Generators#24 of 377.4