# Documentation

> Documentation for the VDL language, CLI, plugin system, and reference behavior.

## Overview

- [Documentation](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/index.md): Documentation for the VDL language, CLI, plugin system, and reference behavior.

## Sections

- [Essentials](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/essentials/index.md): Start here to understand what VDL is and where it fits.
- [Language Guide](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/language/index.md): Learn how to write VDL schemas from first principles.
- [Guides](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/guides/index.md): Practical guides for installing, configuring, and extending VDL.
- [Reference](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/reference/index.md): Reference material for VDL language behavior, formatting, annotations, RPCs, and events.

## Pages

- [About VDL](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/essentials/about/index.md): Learn what VDL is, what it provides, and why the core language stays small.
- [Start Here](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/language/start-here/index.md): Learn how to write VDL schemas from first principles.
- [Files and Comments](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/language/files/index.md): How VDL files are structured and how comments work.
- [Includes](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/language/includes/index.md): Split VDL schemas across files with include statements.
- [Docstrings](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/language/docstrings/index.md): Document VDL schemas with inline and external Markdown docs.
- [Types](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/language/types/index.md): Define object types, aliases, arrays, maps, and inline objects.
- [Field Types](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/language/field-types/index.md): Learn primitives, arrays, maps, custom types, enums, and inline object field types.
- [Enums](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/language/enums/index.md): Define finite sets of named values.
- [Constants and Literals](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/language/constants/index.md): Define reusable dynamic literal values with const declarations.
- [Annotations](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/language/annotations/index.md): Attach metadata to VDL declarations, fields, and enum members.
- [Spreads and References](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/language/spreads-references/index.md): Reuse fields, enum members, and literal values safely.
- [Naming and Validation](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/language/naming-validation/index.md): Learn the naming conventions and validation rules VDL applies.
- [Installation](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/guides/installation/index.md): Complete installation options for the VDL CLI.
- [CLI Commands](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/guides/cli/index.md): Complete reference for the VDL command-line interface.
- [Editor Integration](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/guides/editors/index.md): Set up VDL support in your code editor.
- [Project Configuration](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/guides/configuration/index.md): Configure VDL generation with vdl.config.vdl.
- [Available Plugins](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/guides/plugins/index.md): Official VDL plugins and what each one generates.
- [Creating Plugins](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/guides/creating-plugins/index.md): A practical guide to writing VDL plugins.
- [Language Specification](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/reference/spec/index.md): Varavel Definition Language (VDL) specification.
- [Formatting Guide](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/reference/formatting-guide/index.md): Standard formatting conventions for VDL.
- [Deprecation Annotations](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/reference/deprecations/index.md): Marking declarations and members as deprecated with @deprecated.
- [RPC Annotations](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/reference/rpc/index.md): Modeling RPC services with annotations and full request lifecycle behavior.
- [Event Annotations](https://vdl.varavel.com/docs/reference/events/index.md): Modeling asynchronous events, routing subjects, and strict payloads with the @event annotation.