mkdocs-video

What it is and what it does

mkdocs-video is a MkDocs plugin that lets you embed videos directly into your documentation pages using a simple Markdown syntax. Instead of writing raw HTML, you use a marked image syntax (by default ``) and the plugin converts it to an HTML5 `<video>` tag or an `<iframe>` for embedded services like YouTube or Vimeo. The plugin depends on mkdocs and lxml, and runs as a pure-Python wheel with low installation friction.

You configure it globally in `mkdocs.yml` to set default styles, video attributes (autoplay, loop, muted, controls), and the marker string itself. Individual videos can override global settings using the Attribute Lists Markdown extension. The project is archived and has not been maintained since January 2024, so it works best in stable documentation environments where you don't expect frequent MkDocs or video-handling updates.

Use it for:

• Add tutorial or demo videos to technical documentation without writing HTML.
• Embed YouTube, Vimeo, or Dailymotion videos alongside written guides using standard Markdown syntax.
• Create responsive video containers with consistent styling across all documentation pages via global configuration.
• Host local video files (mp4, ogg) alongside documentation content and reference them with relative paths.
• Fine-tune individual video playback behavior (autoplay, muted, controls) per video using Markdown attributes.

Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying

A MkDocs plugin that embeds videos in documentation pages using Markdown image syntax with a configurable marker and HTML5 video or iframe output.

Yes, if your documentation is stable and you need simple video embedding in MkDocs. The low install friction and permissive license make it straightforward to add. However, be aware the project is abandoned; install it only if you can tolerate no future updates and your MkDocs version and video needs are unlikely to change significantly.

Install

mkdocs-video on PyPI

pip install mkdocs-video

uv add mkdocs-video

poetry add mkdocs-video

Installing mkdocs-video

Before you install

Low install friction with a pure-Python wheel. However, the project is archived and abandoned as of January 2024, with no maintenance for over a year; rely on it only if your MkDocs setup and video needs remain stable.

License in practice

MIT license permits free use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions; suitable for most projects.

Quickstart

pip install mkdocs-video

# In mkdocs.yml:
plugins:
  - mkdocs-video

# In your Markdown:
![type:video](videos/example.mp4)

Requires mkdocs and lxml as runtime dependencies; MkDocs project must be configured to load plugins.

Verify before relying

• Whether the plugin remains compatible with recent MkDocs versions given its abandoned status since early 2024.
• Support for modern video codecs and streaming services beyond the documented examples (YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Facebook).
• Behavior of video autoplay, loop, and muted attributes across different browsers and their autoplay policies.

Package facts

Evidence: mkdocs_video-1.5.0-py3-none-any.whl

Tags

More Documentation packages