---
title: Configuration
description: How docs.json controls navigation, tabs, groups, and API references.
url: http://localhost:3040/authentication
---

# Configuration

How docs.json controls navigation, tabs, groups, and API references.

All navigation in Thally is driven by a single file: `docs.json` at the project root. This file defines the tabs shown in the header, the groups in each sidebar, and the pages within each group.

## Basic structure

```json
{
  "tabs": [
    {
      "tab": "Overview",
      "groups": [
        {
          "group": "Getting Started",
          "pages": ["introduction", "quickstart"]
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
```

- **`tabs`** — top-level navigation items shown in the site header
- **`groups`** — sidebar sections within a tab
- **`pages`** — array of page slugs (relative to `src/content/`)

## Adding an API Reference tab

Point a tab to an OpenAPI spec instead of manual pages:

```json
{
  "tab": "API Reference",
  "api": {
    "source": "openapi.yaml",
    "defaultGroup": "General"
  }
}
```

Thally parses the spec and generates endpoint pages automatically.

## External links

Add a tab that links to an external URL:

```json
{
  "tab": "Changelog",
  "href": "/changelog"
}
```

This is example content that ships with the Thally template. Replace it with your own product documentation.