diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 7748dc4f..0fb90c0c 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -19,9 +19,12 @@ add_definitions(${PROJECT_CXX_FLAGS})
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------
 
 add_subdirectory(src/reader)
+add_subdirectory(examples)
 add_subdirectory(utest)
+xo_export_cmake_config(${PROJECT_NAME} ${PROJECT_VERSION} ${PROJECT_NAME}Targets)
 
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------
-# provide find_package() support
-
-xo_export_cmake_config(${PROJECT_NAME} ${PROJECT_VERSION} ${PROJECT_NAME}Targets)
+# docs targets depends on other library/utest/exec targets,
+# must come after them
+#
+add_subdirectory(docs)
diff --git a/docs/CMakeLists.txt b/docs/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9e5aca53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# xo-reader/docs/CMakeLists.txt
+
+xo_doxygen_collect_deps()
+xo_docdir_doxygen_config()
+xo_docdir_sphinx_config(
+    index.rst
+)
diff --git a/docs/README b/docs/README
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ea8a9a25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/README
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+standalone build
+
+        +-----------------------------------------------+
+        | cmake                                         |
+        |   CMakeLists.txt                              |
+        |   $PREFIX/share/cmake/xo_macros/xo_cxx.cmake  |
+        +-----------------------------------------------+
+           |
+           |                                                  +----------------------+
+           +------------------------------------------------->| .build/docs/Doxyfile |
+           |                                                  +----------------------+
+           |                                                     ^
+           |                                 (cmake              |
+           |                                        /------------/
+           |                                        |
+           |     +---------------------------------------+    +-----------------+
+           +---->| doxygen                               |--->| .build/docs/dox |
+           |     |   $PREFIX/share/xo-macros/Doxyfile.in |    |   +- html/      |
+           |     +---------------------------------------+    |   +- xml/       |
+           |                                                  +-----------------+
+           |                                                     |
+           |                                        /------------/
+           |                                        |
+           |                                        v
+           |     +---------------------------------------+    +--------------------+
+           \---->| sphinx                                |--->| .build/docs/sphinx |
+                 |   +- conf.py                          |    |   +- html/         |
+                 |   +- _static/                         |    +--------------------+
+                 |   +- *.rst                            |
+                 +---------------------------------------+
+
+umbrella build relies on top-level cmake macros
+
+files
+
+   README            this file
+   CMakeLists.txt    build entry point
+   conf.py           sphinx config
+   _static           static files for sphinx
+
+   index.rst         toplevel sphinx document; entry point
diff --git a/docs/_static/README b/docs/_static/README
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8230095c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/_static/README
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+add any static {.html, .js, ..} files for sphinx to pickup here
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/_static/img/favicon.ico b/docs/_static/img/favicon.ico
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..15da2145
Binary files /dev/null and b/docs/_static/img/favicon.ico differ
diff --git a/docs/conf.py b/docs/conf.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a598d229
--- /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 reader documentation'
+copyright = '2024-2025, 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/example.rst b/docs/example.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5ceddc4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/example.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+.. _examples:
+
+.. toctree::
+   :maxdepth: 2
+
+Examples
+========
+
+See ``xo-reader/examples`` for built examples
+
+.. code-block:: cpp
+   :linenos:
+
+    #include "xo/reader/reader.h"
+
+    int
+    main() {
+        using namespace xo::scm;
+        using namespace std;
+
+        reader rdr;
+        rdr.begin_translation_unit();
+
+        bool eof = false;
+        while (!eof) {
+            auto input = ins.read_some();
+
+            eof = ins.eof();
+
+            for (auto rem = input; !rem.empty();) {
+                // res: (parsed-expr, used)
+                auto [expr, rem2] = rdr.read_expr(rem, eof);
+
+                if (expr) {
+                     cout << expr << endl;
+                }
+
+                rem = rem.suffix_after(rem2);
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (rdr.has_prefix()) {
+            cout << "error: unparsed input after expression" << endl;
+        }
+    }
diff --git a/docs/index.rst b/docs/index.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2c6a1b96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/index.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+.. xo-reader documentation master file.
+
+xo-reader documentation
+=======================
+
+xo-reader provides a parser for the Schematika language.
+
+.. toctree::
+   :maxdepth: 2
+   :caption: xo-reader contents
+
+   example