sphinxcontrib-applehelp
sphinxcontrib-applehelp is a Sphinx extension which outputs Apple help books
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you are building macOS applications and need to generate Apple help books from Sphinx documentation. The low install friction and permissive license make it straightforward to add. However, verify that Apple help format output remains compatible with your target macOS versions, and be aware that dormant maintenance means bug fixes or format updates are unlikely without community contribution.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.9 or later; Apple help output format compatibility with target macOS versions should be verified.
- Low install friction with no runtime dependencies.
- Dormant maintenance status—last release was 746 days ago, though the repository remains active with a recent commit on 2024-10-25.
License · maintenance · safety
permissive license (permissive) — Permissive license allows broad use and modification without significant restrictions.
last release 2024-07-29 (746 days) · last repo commit 2024-10-25 · 2 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 27,620,169 downloads/mo, #854 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install -U sphinxcontrib-applehelp
In your Sphinx conf.py, add to extensions:
extensions = ['sphinxcontrib.applehelp']
Then build with: sphinx-build -b applehelp <source> <build>- Whether Apple help output format remains compatible with current macOS versions
- Level of active support or bug-fix responsiveness despite dormant maintenance status
What it is and what it does
sphinxcontrib-applehelp is a Sphinx extension that transforms reStructuredText documentation into Apple help books, the native help format for macOS applications. It integrates directly into Sphinx's build system as an alternative output builder, allowing developers to generate help content alongside other documentation formats.
The package has no runtime dependencies and installs cleanly on Python 3.9 and later, supporting current Python versions through 3.13. It is classified as production-stable. However, maintenance has been dormant for 746 days, with the last release on 2024-07-29, so users should verify that Apple help output remains compatible with their target macOS versions before adopting it for new projects.
Use it for
- Generate native Apple help books for macOS applications from a single Sphinx documentation source
- Maintain help documentation alongside other formats in a unified Sphinx build pipeline
- Convert existing reStructuredText documentation to Apple help format for distribution with macOS apps
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you are building macOS applications and need to generate Apple help books from Sphinx documentation.
The low install friction and permissive license make it straightforward to add. However, verify that Apple help format output remains compatible with your target macOS versions, and be aware that dormant maintenance means bug fixes or format updates are unlikely without community contribution.
Install
sphinxcontrib-applehelp on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with no runtime dependencies. Dormant maintenance status—last release was 746 days ago, though the repository remains active with a recent commit on 2024-10-25.
Requires Python 3.9 or later; Apple help output format compatibility with target macOS versions should be verified.
License in practice
Permissive license allows broad use and modification without significant restrictions.
Quickstart
pip install -U sphinxcontrib-applehelp
In your Sphinx conf.py, add to extensions:
extensions = ['sphinxcontrib.applehelp']
Then build with: sphinx-build -b applehelp <source> <build>Verify before relying
- Whether Apple help output format remains compatible with current macOS versions
- Level of active support or bug-fix responsiveness despite dormant maintenance status
Package facts
| License | permissive license permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.9 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Dormant 746 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 27,620,169 / month, #854 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableEnvironment :: ConsoleEnvironment :: Web EnvironmentFramework :: SphinxFramework :: Sphinx :: ExtensionIntended Audience :: DevelopersIntended Audience :: EducationLicense :: OSI Approved :: BSD LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Topic :: DocumentationTopic :: Documentation :: SphinxTopic :: Text ProcessingTopic :: Utilities |
Evidence: sphinxcontrib_applehelp-2.0.0-py3-none-any.whl
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See also sphinxcontrib-htmlhelp · sphinxcontrib-devhelp · sphinxcontrib-qthelp · sphinxcontrib-websupport · Sphinx · sphinxcontrib-serializinghtml · sphinx-jupyterbook-latex · sphinxcontrib-bibtex · sphinxcontrib-confluencebuilder · exhale