diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 3e1f3fb4..2ee6351c 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ xo_export_cmake_config(${PROJECT_NAME} ${PROJECT_VERSION} ${PROJECT_NAME}Targets
 add_subdirectory(example)
 add_subdirectory(utest)
 
+# reminder: must come last: docs targets depend on all the other library/utest targets
+add_subdirectory(docs)
+
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------
 # docs targets depend on all the other library/utest targets
 #
diff --git a/docs/CMakeLists.txt b/docs/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bf9c8563
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# xo-jit/docs/CMakeLists.txt
+
+xo_doxygen_collect_deps()
+xo_docdir_doxygen_config()
+xo_docdir_sphinx_config(
+    index.rst glossary.rst
+)
diff --git a/docs/README b/docs/README
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2fab6399
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/README
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+build
+
+        +-----------------------------------------------+
+        | cmake                                         |
+        |   CMakeLists.txt                              |
+        |   $PREFIX/share/cmake/xo_macros/xo_cxx.cmake  |
+        +-----------------------------------------------+
+           |
+           |                                                  +----------------------+
+           +------------------------------------------------->| .build/docs/Doxyfile |
+           |                                                  +----------------------+
+           |                                                     |
+           |                                        /------------/
+           |                                        |
+           |                                        v
+           |     +---------------------------------------+    +-----------------+
+           +---->| doxygen                               |--->| .build/docs/dox |
+           |     |   $PREFIX/share/xo-macros/Doxyfile.in |    |   +- html/      |
+           |     +---------------------------------------+    |   +- xml/       |
+           |                                                  +-----------------+
+           |                                                     |
+           |                                        /------------/
+           |                                        |
+           |                                        v
+           |     +---------------------------------------+    +--------------------+
+           \---->| sphinx                                |--->| .build/docs/sphinx |
+                 |   +- conf.py                          |    |   +- html/         |
+                 |   +- _static/                         |    +--------------------+
+                 |   +- *.rst                            |
+                 +---------------------------------------+
+
+files
+
+   README            this file
+   CMakeLists.txt    build entry point
+   conf.py           sphinx config
+   _static           static files for sphinx
+
+map
+
+   index.rst
+   +- install.rst
+   +- examples.rst
+   +- unit-quantities.rst
+   +- classes.rst
+   +- glossary.rst
+   ...
+
+examples
+
+.. doxygenclass:: ${c++ class name}
+   :project:
+   :path:
+   :members:
+   :protected-members:
+   :private-members:
+   :undoc-members:
+   :member-groups:
+   :members-only:
+   :outline:
+   :no-link:
+   :allow-dot-graphs:
+
+.. doxygendefine:: ${c preprocessor define}
+
+.. doxygenconcept:: ${c++ concept definition}
+
+.. doxygenenum:: ${c++ enum definition}
+
+.. doxygenfunction:: ${c++ function name}
diff --git a/docs/conf.py b/docs/conf.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..31acd35e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/conf.py
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# Configuration file for the Sphinx documentation builder.
+#
+# For the full list of built-in configuration values, see the documentation:
+# https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html
+
+# -- Project information -----------------------------------------------------
+# https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html#project-information
+
+project = 'xo jit documentation'
+copyright = '2024, Roland Conybeare'
+author = 'Roland Conybeare'
+
+# -- General configuration ---------------------------------------------------
+# https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html#general-configuration
+
+#extensions = []
+extensions = [ "breathe",
+               "sphinx.ext.mathjax",     # inline math
+               "sphinx.ext.autodoc",     # generate info from docstrings
+               "sphinxcontrib.ditaa",    # diagrams-through-ascii-art
+               "sphinxcontrib.plantuml"  # text -> uml diagrams
+              ]
+
+# note: breathe requires doxygen xml output -> must have GENERATE_XML = YES in Doxyfile.in
+#       match project name in Doxyfile.in
+breathe_default_project = "xodoxxml"
+
+templates_path = ['_templates']
+exclude_patterns = ['_build', 'Thumbs.db', '.DS_Store']
+
+pygments_style = 'sphinx'
+
+# -- Options for HTML output -------------------------------------------------
+# https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html#options-for-html-output
+
+#html_theme = 'alabaster'
+html_theme = 'sphinx_rtd_theme'
+html_static_path = ['_static']
+html_favicon = '_static/img/favicon.ico'
diff --git a/docs/glossary.rst b/docs/glossary.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c5a22ec1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/glossary.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+.. _glossary:
+
+Glossary
+--------
+
+.. glossary::
+    xsession
+      | Shorthand for `llvm::orc::ExecutionSession`.
+      | Manages running JIT-generated machine code in the host process
+
+    td
+      | Short for `xo::reflect::TypeDescr`.
+
+    XO
+      A set of integrated c++ libraries for complex event processing, with browser and python integration.
+      `xo documentation here`_
+
+.. _xo documentation here: https://rconybea.github.io/web/sw/xo.html
+
+.. toctree::
diff --git a/docs/index.rst b/docs/index.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ea337854
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/index.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+.. xo-jit documentation master file, created by
+   sphinx-quickstart on Wed Mar  6 23:32:27 2024.
+   You can adapt this file completely to your liking, but it should at least
+   contain the root `toctree` directive.
+
+xo-jit documentation
+====================
+
+xo-jit compiles xo-expression AST's to runnable-in-this-process machine code.
+
+* uses C++ reflection to simplify making c++ type-equivalents available in LLVM
+* uses C++ reflection to simplify making c++ functions available in LLVM
+* integration with python (see sister project xo-pyjit)
+
+.. toctree::
+   :maxdepth: 2
+   :caption: xo-jit contents
+
+   glossary
+   genindex
+   search