The doc-base package implements a flexible mechanism for handling and presenting documentation. The recommended practice is for every Debian package that provides online documentation (other than just manual pages) to register these documents with doc-base by installing a doc-base control file via the install-docs script at installation time and de-register the manuals again when the package is removed. (source: Debian Policy Manual)

Developers should refer to the documentation that comes with the doc-base package for information and details. (read /usr/share/doc/doc-base/doc-base.html/index.html)

doc-base clients

There are many clients to access documentations registered with doc-base:

dwww: web base documentation reader.
+ documentation are well indexed
+ convenient command line interface
+ documentation is available through a web browser
- indexes documentation (in the background)
dhelp: web base documentation reader.
+ documentation are well indexed
+ documentation is available through a web browser
- indexes documentation (in the background)
- not so convenient command line interface
doc-central: web base documentation reader.
+ documentation are well indexed
+ documentation is available through a web browser
- indexes documentation (in the background)
- not so convenient command line interface
yelp: Help browser for GNOME
+ integrated with Gnome
+ Doesn't require a web server
- Some type of documentation aren't avaiable.
khelpcenter4: Help Center for KDE 4

not tested

See also