Assembly & Build Documentation

The under-served sibling of code documentation: how the human who didn't design the thing actually builds it. Pairs with Hardware CI/CD, PCB 3D Viewers, and BOM Tooling.

Build-instruction-as-source

• ★ GitBuilding — open-source FOSS toolchain (Python) for assembly instructions written as augmented Markdown. Auto-generates BOM, step-by-step pages, and exploded views from one repo. Apache-2. Used by Open Flexure Microscope and many academic-OSHW projects. Active in 2025–2026.
• Bookdown / mdBook + custom shortcodes — a few projects roll their own augmented Markdown rather than adopt GitBuilding.

Step-by-step / slide-style platforms

• ★ Dozuki / iFixit Guides — best-in-class step-by-step tooling; the iFixit guide format. Free for OSHW; paid for industrial.
• Instructables — the OG step-by-step DIY publishing platform; free, ad-supported, Autodesk-owned.
• Hackaday.io project pages — log-style; free; the de-facto OSHW project journal in 2026.
• Hackster.io — Avnet-owned project hub; free; good for embedded / microcontroller builds.

Interactive / clickable assembly

• ★ InteractiveHTMLBOM (iBOM) — the assembly worker's clicker; one HTML file. See BOM Tooling.
• KiCanvas — embed the live PCB next to the build steps. See PCB 3D Viewers.
• <model-viewer> + glTF — for mechanical assemblies, drop a rotatable 3D part beside each build step.
• Sketchfab annotations — viewer-side annotations on a Sketchfab-hosted model.

Mechanical / exploded view rendering

• ★ Blender + pcb2blender / gerber2blend — render exploded assemblies for build manuals.
• FreeCAD's TechDraw / Assembly workbench — generate dimensioned 2D drawings + simple exploded views.
• eDrawings / SolidWorks Composer — commercial; produce manuals from CAD.
• Onshape Drawings — usable for OSHW with public docs.

OSHW publishing / certification

• ★ OSHWA Certification — the open-source-hardware-association certification; the de-facto OSHW seal. Free.
• Wikifactory — collaborative hardware platform; free public projects, paid private.
• GitLab / GitHub — most OSHW lives here; not specialized but the ground truth.
• Open Hardware Repository (CERN OHL) — for high-energy / scientific hardware; paired with the CERN Open Hardware License v2.

License resources

• CERN OHL v2 (S/W/P variants) — the modern hardware-specific copyleft / permissive license set.
• TAPR OHL — older hardware license; still seen on some legacy projects.
• Solderpad — Apache-style, hardware-flavored.
• CC-BY-SA / CC-BY — fine for documentation; debated for hardware itself (hardware doesn't fit cleanly into copyright).

Pick this if…

• OSHW project with full BOM + build steps from one repo: GitBuilding.
• Repair-style step-by-step polish for end users: Dozuki / iFixit Guides.
• Project journal as you build: Hackaday.io.
• Embed a live PCB / 3D model alongside docs: KiCanvas + <model-viewer> / Sketchfab.
• Want the OSHW seal: OSHWA Certification + CERN OHL v2.
• Industrial assembly-line manual: Dozuki paid tier.