#Migrating from Rspress 1.x

This document will help you migrate from Rspress 1.x to Rspress V2. We recommend using the "Copy as Markdown" feature to pass this document to an LLM for automated migration assistance.

#Quick migration checklist

• Node.js ^20.19.0 || >=22.12.0
• Dependencies: rspress → @rspress/core, remove @rspress/shared
• Import paths: rspress/runtime → @rspress/core/runtime, rspress/theme → @rspress/core/theme
• Custom themes: Change default exports to named exports, use @rspress/core/theme-original
• Top-level navigation: _meta.json → _nav.json (top-level only)
• Code highlighting: Prism → Shiki, line highlight syntax {1,3-4} requires transformer config
• builderPlugins: Move to builderConfig.plugins
• Sass/Less: Manually install @rsbuild/plugin-sass or @rsbuild/plugin-less
• External code blocks: <code src="..." /> → ```tsx file="..."
• markdown.mdxRs: Remove the markdown.mdxRs option (no longer supported)
• themeConfig.locales: Remove outlineTitle and other text configs, use i18nSource instead

#[Important] Node.js and upstream dependency requirements

#Node.js Version

Rspress V2 no longer supports Node.js 16 and 18. Please upgrade to Node.js ^20.19.0 || >=22.12.0. Node.js 22 LTS is recommended.

#Upstream dependency versions

#[Important] Package name and import path changes

Rspress V2 consolidates multiple packages into @rspress/core. The original rspress package is no longer used.

• before:

{
  "dependencies": {
    "rspress": "^1.x",
    "@rspress/shared": "^1.x"
  }
}

• after:

{
  "dependencies": {
    "@rspress/core": "^2.0.0"
  }
}

If you developed an Rspress plugin, change the plugin's peerDependencies from rspress to @rspress/core:

{
  "peerDependencies": {
    "@rspress/core": "^2.0.0"
  }
}

#Import path changes

It's recommended to use a global find-and-replace to update import paths.

Example:

• before:

import { usePageData, useDark } from 'rspress/runtime';
import type { RspressPlugin } from 'rspress';

• after:

import { usePageData, useDark } from '@rspress/core/runtime';
import type { RspressPlugin } from '@rspress/core';

#Removed standalone packages

The following packages are now built into @rspress/core. If upgrading from 1.x, please refer to the import path changes table above to update your import paths:

• rspress - Renamed to @rspress/core
• @rspress/runtime - Runtime is built-in
• @rspress/theme-default - Default theme is built-in
• @rspress/plugin-shiki - Shiki code highlighting is now default
• @rspress/plugin-auto-nav-sidebar - Navigation sidebar is built-in
• @rspress/plugin-container-syntax - Container syntax is built-in
• @rspress/plugin-last-updated - Last updated time is built-in
• @rspress/plugin-medium-zoom - Image zoom is built-in

#[Important] Custom theme ESM export changes

Custom themes no longer use default exports. Use named exports instead.

• before:

import Theme from 'rspress/theme';

const Layout = () => <Theme.Layout beforeNavTitle={<div>content</div>} />;

export default { ...Theme, Layout };

export * from 'rspress/theme';

• after:

import { Layout as BasicLayout } from '@rspress/core/theme-original';

const Layout = () => <BasicLayout beforeNavTitle={<div>content</div>} />;

export { Layout };

export * from '@rspress/core/theme-original';

#Theme import paths

Using theme components in MDX files within the docs directory:

import { PackageManagerTabs } from '@rspress/core/theme';
// Or use alias
import { PackageManagerTabs } from '@theme';

If using the @theme alias, add path mapping in tsconfig.json for type hints:

{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "paths": {
      "@theme": ["./theme/index.tsx"]
    }
  }
}

× ESModulesLinkingError: export 'SvgWrapper' (imported as 'SvgWrapper') was not found in '@theme' (possible exports: HomeLayout, Layout, Search, Tag, getCustomMDXComponent)

× ESModulesLinkingError: export 'Banner' (imported as 'Banner') was not found in '@rspress/core/theme' (possible exports: HomeLayout, Layout, Search, Tag, getCustomMDXComponent)

#[Important] Shiki code highlighting replaces prism

Rspress V2 uses Shiki v3 for code highlighting by default. Prism has been removed.

For the list of languages supported by Shiki, see Shiki Languages. For more Shiki usage, see the Code Blocks documentation.

#Configuration migration

• before:

Configure language aliases via highlightLanguages:

import { defineConfig } from 'rspress/config';

export default defineConfig({
  markdown: {
    highlightLanguages: [['ejs', 'javascript']],
  },
});

• after:

Configure langAlias and other Shiki options via markdown.shiki:

import { defineConfig } from '@rspress/core';

export default defineConfig({
  markdown: {
    shiki: {
      langAlias: {
        ejs: 'javascript',
      },
    },
  },
});

#Line highlighting syntax changes

V2 no longer includes the {1,3-4} meta line highlighting syntax by default. Choose from the following options based on your needs:

• Notation Line Highlight: Uses // [!code highlight] comment syntax, requires transformerNotationHighlight configuration
• Meta Line Highlight: Compatible with legacy {1,3-4} syntax, requires transformerCompatibleMetaHighlight configuration

To maintain compatibility with V1's meta line highlighting syntax, add the following configuration:

import { defineConfig } from '@rspress/core';
import { transformerCompatibleMetaHighlight } from '@rspress/core/shiki-transformers';

export default defineConfig({
  markdown: {
    shiki: {
      transformers: [transformerCompatibleMetaHighlight()],
    },
  },
});

#[Important] Top-level Navigation file renamed

Rspress V2 separates nav and sidebar configuration. The top-level _meta.json needs to be renamed to _nav.json, while inner files remain unchanged.

• before:

docs/
├── en/
│   ├── _meta.json        # Top-level navigation
│   └── guide/
│       └── _meta.json    # Inner sidebar

• after:

docs/
├── en/
│   ├── _nav.json         # Top-level navigation (renamed)
│   └── guide/
│       └── _meta.json    # Inner sidebar (unchanged)

#[Important] SSG strict mode by default

SSG is now in strict mode by default. On failure, the build exits immediately instead of falling back to CSR. The ssg.strict configuration has been removed.

To skip SSG, set ssg: false:

import { defineConfig } from '@rspress/core';

export default defineConfig({
  ssg: false,
});

#[Important] Features enabled by default

The following features are enabled by default in V2:

To disable lazy compilation:

import { defineConfig } from '@rspress/core';

export default defineConfig({
  builderConfig: {
    dev: {
      lazyCompilation: false,
    },
  },
});

#base configuration reimplemented

The base configuration is now implemented using react-router's basename.

Key changes:

• useLocation().pathname no longer includes the base prefix
• Use Link / useNavigate for navigation instead of directly manipulating window.location

#cleanUrls: true Links are shortened

When cleanUrls: true, generated links no longer include the /index suffix.

• before: /guide/index
• after: /guide/

#builderPlugins configuration removed

builderPlugins has been removed. Please migrate to builderConfig.plugins.

• before:

import { defineConfig } from 'rspress/config';

export default defineConfig({
  builderPlugins: [pluginFoo()],
});

• after:

import { defineConfig } from '@rspress/core';

export default defineConfig({
  builderConfig: {
    plugins: [pluginFoo()],
  },
});

#markdown.mdxRs option removed

The markdown.mdxRs option has been removed in V2. Rspress no longer uses the Rust-based MDX parser (@rspress/mdx-rs). Please remove the markdown.mdxRs option from your configuration.

Leaving this option in your configuration will cause TypeScript type checking errors, but it does not affect runtime behavior.

• before:

import { defineConfig } from 'rspress/config';

export default defineConfig({
  markdown: {
    mdxRs: false,
    remarkPlugins: [plugin1, plugin2],
  },
});

• after:

import { defineConfig } from '@rspress/core';

export default defineConfig({
  markdown: {
    // mdxRs option removed, no replacement needed
    remarkPlugins: [plugin1, plugin2],
  },
});

#Sass/Less Requires manual installation

Built-in Sass/Less plugins have been removed. Install them manually if needed:

# Sass
npm add @rsbuild/plugin-sass -D

# Less
npm add @rsbuild/plugin-less -D

Then register in configuration:

import { defineConfig } from '@rspress/core';
import { pluginSass } from '@rsbuild/plugin-sass';

export default defineConfig({
  builderConfig: {
    plugins: [pluginSass()],
  },
});

#External code block syntax changed

External code block syntax has changed:

• before:

<code src="./example.tsx" />

• after:

```tsx file="./example.tsx"

```

#Relative link resolution changed

Relative links no longer require the ./ prefix. The following two syntaxes are now equivalent:

[subfolder](subfolder)
[subfolder](./subfolder)

#MDX file route exclusion

Files starting with underscore _ are automatically excluded from routing, suitable for MDX fragments and React components.

docs/
├── guide/
│   ├── _components.tsx  # Will not generate route
│   └── index.mdx

#Theme style changes

#Tailwind class name prefix

Built-in theme class names now have a Tailwind prefix to avoid conflicts. If you rely on classes like dark:hidden, configure Tailwind/UnoCSS in your project.

#Native HTML tag styling

Native HTML tags now have document styling by default. To isolate styling, add the .rp-not-doc class:

<div class="rp-not-doc">
  <!-- Not affected by document styles -->
</div>

#Built-in Multilingual text

The default theme now includes built-in multilingual translation text with tree-shaking support based on your project's configured languages.

Key changes:

• If your documentation only includes en and zh, only those languages will be bundled
• For languages not supported by Rspress, it automatically falls back to en
• In most cases, you don't need to manually configure i18n text

The following themeConfig.locales text configurations have been removed. Please delete related configurations:

• outlineTitle

• lastUpdatedText

• editLink.text

• prevPageText

• nextPageText

• sourceCodeText

• searchPlaceholderText

• searchNoResultsText

• searchSuggestedQueryText

• overview.filterNameText

• overview.filterPlaceholderText

• overview.filterNoResultText

• before:

import { defineConfig } from 'rspress/config';

export default defineConfig({
  themeConfig: {
    locales: [
      {
        lang: 'en',
        label: 'English',
        outlineTitle: 'ON THIS PAGE',
      },
      {
        lang: 'zh',
        label: '中文',
        outlineTitle: '目录',
      },
    ],
  },
});

• after:

import { defineConfig } from '@rspress/core';

export default defineConfig({
  locales: [
    {
      lang: 'en',
      label: 'English',
    },
    {
      lang: 'zh',
      label: '中文',
    },
  ],
  // Only use i18nSource when you want to modify built-in text
  i18nSource: {
    outlineTitle: {
      zh: '大纲',
      en: 'On This Page',
    },
  },
});

#plugin-preview

@rspress/plugin-preview V2 no longer includes @rsbuild/plugin-less and @rsbuild/plugin-sass as built-in dependencies. If you need Less or Sass support in previews, install the corresponding plugin and configure it via iframeOptions.builderConfig:

npm add @rsbuild/plugin-less -D

yarn add @rsbuild/plugin-less -D

pnpm add @rsbuild/plugin-less -D

bun add @rsbuild/plugin-less -D

deno add npm:@rsbuild/plugin-less -D

import { defineConfig } from '@rspress/core';
import { pluginPreview } from '@rspress/plugin-preview';
import { pluginLess } from '@rsbuild/plugin-less';

export default defineConfig({
  plugins: [
    pluginPreview({
      iframeOptions: {
        builderConfig: {
          plugins: [pluginLess()],
        },
      },
    }),
  ],
});

For more migration details, see plugin-preview migration guide.

#Resources

• GitHub Discussion: Rspress v2 Breaking Changes