Auto hot reloading with sphinx-autobuild

I have tested this on Linux.

We need another dev to test the batch file on Windows.

I have added this to other projects

https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx-autobuild

https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx-autobuild?tab=readme-ov-file#using-with-makefile

Listed as one of the best Sphinx extensions:

https://sphinx-extensions.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

Author: jbampton

Makefile

@@ -12,9 +12,12 @@ BUILDDIR      = build
 help:
 	@$(SPHINXBUILD) -M help "$(SOURCEDIR)" "$(BUILDDIR)" $(SPHINXOPTS) $(O)
 
-.PHONY: help Makefile
+.PHONY: help Makefile livehtml
 
 # Catch-all target: route all unknown targets to Sphinx using the new
 # "make mode" option.  $(O) is meant as a shortcut for $(SPHINXOPTS).
 %: Makefile
-	@$(SPHINXBUILD) -M $@ "$(SOURCEDIR)" "$(BUILDDIR)" $(SPHINXOPTS) $(O)
+	@$(SPHINXBUILD) -M $@ "$(SOURCEDIR)" "$(BUILDDIR)" $(SPHINXOPTS) $(O)
+
+livehtml:
+	sphinx-autobuild "$(SOURCEDIR)" "$(BUILDDIR)" $(SPHINXOPTS) $(O)

make.bat

@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ set BUILDDIR=build
 set SPHINXPROJ=ApacheCloudStack
 
 if "%1" == "" goto help
+REM --- Added section for 'livehtml' ---
+if "%1" == "livehtml" goto livehtml
+REM -------------------------------------
 
 %SPHINXBUILD% >NUL 2>NUL
 if errorlevel 9009 (
@@ -29,6 +32,11 @@ rd %BUILDDIR% /q /s
 %SPHINXBUILD% -M %1 %SOURCEDIR% %BUILDDIR% %SPHINXOPTS%
 goto end
 
+:livehtml
+	REM
+	sphinx-autobuild "%SOURCEDIR%" "%BUILDDIR%" %SPHINXOPTS% %O%
+	goto end
+
 :help
 %SPHINXBUILD% -M help %SOURCEDIR% %BUILDDIR% %SPHINXOPTS%
 

requirements.txt

@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ Sphinx==7.2.6
 sphinx-rtd-theme==2.0.0
 readthedocs-sphinx-ext==2.2.5
 Jinja2==3.1.5
+sphinx-autobuild==2025.8.25