---
id: sphinx-panels
version: "0.6.0"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: aging
---

# sphinx-panels — A sphinx extension for creating panels in a grid layout.

License: permissive · Maintenance: aging · Downloads: 138.4K/mo

## What it is and what it does

sphinx-panels is a Sphinx extension that extends reStructuredText with new directives for building structured, visually organized HTML documentation. It provides the `panels` directive for creating grid-based card layouts using Bootstrap 4's grid and card systems, `link-button` for clickable buttons that link to URLs or references, `dropdown` for collapsible content panels, `tabbed` for tabbed interfaces, and icon roles for inline FontAwesome and icon glyphs. The extension is designed for documentation authors who want to create rich, interactive HTML layouts without writing raw HTML or CSS.

The package depends on Sphinx itself, docutils for reStructuredText processing, and importlib-resources for resource management. It installs as a pure Python wheel with no compiled dependencies. However, the project has not seen a release since 2021-06-03, and while the repository remains active, the lack of new releases suggests the maintainers may not be actively addressing compatibility with newer Sphinx versions or Bootstrap updates.

Use it for:

- Create multi-column grid layouts in Sphinx documentation using the panels directive with Bootstrap 4 styling
- Add interactive dropdown sections to documentation for collapsible content or frequently asked questions
- Build tabbed interfaces in documentation to organize related content or show multiple examples
- Insert styled call-to-action buttons that link to external URLs or internal documentation references
- Add inline FontAwesome or icon glyphs to documentation text for visual emphasis

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

A Sphinx extension that adds directives for creating grid-based panels, buttons, dropdowns, and tabbed content in HTML documentation, styled with Bootstrap 4 classes.

Yes, with conditions. The package is stable and has no known vulnerabilities, with low install friction and permissive licensing. It remains useful for Sphinx documentation projects that target Bootstrap 4 styling. However, install only if your Sphinx version is compatible with the 2021 release cycle—verify compatibility before adding to a modern documentation stack, as the lack of recent releases means it may not support the latest Sphinx features or Bootstrap versions.

## Install

pip install sphinx-panels
uv add sphinx-panels
poetry add sphinx-panels

## Installing sphinx-panels

Before you install: Low install friction with three straightforward dependencies (docutils, sphinx, importlib-resources). However, the package is aging—last release was 2021-06-03 and no commits since 2025-09-04, suggesting limited active maintenance despite the repository remaining unarchived.

License in practice: MIT license is permissive and imposes no restrictions on use, modification, or distribution in your own projects.

Quickstart:

pip install sphinx-panels

In conf.py:
extensions = ['sphinx_panels']

In your .rst file:
.. panels::

    Content of the top-left panel

    ---

    Content of the top-right panel

Verify before relying:

- Whether the package remains compatible with recent Sphinx versions beyond what its dependencies declare
- Current state of Bootstrap 4 grid system support given the age of the release

## Package facts

- License: MIT (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: aging
- Downloads: 138.4K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

sphinx grid layout panels, bootstrap cards sphinx extension, sphinx tabbed content directive, sphinx dropdown collapsible, sphinx html components, sphinx link button directive, documentation layout panels, sphinx-extension, html-layout, bootstrap

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