diff --git a/components/config/src/config/mod.rs b/components/config/src/config/mod.rs
index a23e3825..b33b8c79 100644
--- a/components/config/src/config/mod.rs
+++ b/components/config/src/config/mod.rs
@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@ pub struct Config {
     #[serde(skip_serializing, skip_deserializing)] // not a typo, 2 are need
     pub extra_syntax_set: Option<SyntaxSet>,
 
+    pub output_dir: String,
+
     pub link_checker: link_checker::LinkChecker,
 
     /// The setup for which slugification strategies to use for paths, taxonomies and anchors
@@ -333,6 +335,7 @@ impl Default for Config {
             translations: HashMap::new(),
             extra_syntaxes: Vec::new(),
             extra_syntax_set: None,
+            output_dir: "public".to_string(),
             link_checker: link_checker::LinkChecker::default(),
             slugify: slugify::Slugify::default(),
             search: search::Search::default(),
@@ -654,4 +657,27 @@ bar = "baz"
         // We expect an error here
         assert_eq!(false, config.add_theme_extra(&theme).is_ok());
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn default_output_dir() {
+        let config = r#"
+title = "My site"
+base_url = "https://replace-this-with-your-url.com"
+        "#;
+
+        let config = Config::parse(config).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(config.output_dir, "public".to_string());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn can_add_output_dir() {
+        let config = r#"
+title = "My site"
+base_url = "https://replace-this-with-your-url.com"
+output_dir = "docs"
+        "#;
+
+        let config = Config::parse(config).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(config.output_dir, "docs".to_string());
+    }
 }
diff --git a/components/site/src/lib.rs b/components/site/src/lib.rs
index 7d06b27a..d5bc5de5 100644
--- a/components/site/src/lib.rs
+++ b/components/site/src/lib.rs
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ impl Site {
         let static_path = path.join("static");
         let imageproc =
             imageproc::Processor::new(content_path.clone(), &static_path, &config.base_url);
-        let output_path = path.join("public");
+        let output_path = path.join(config.output_dir.clone());
 
         let site = Site {
             base_path: path.to_path_buf(),
diff --git a/docs/content/documentation/getting-started/configuration.md b/docs/content/documentation/getting-started/configuration.md
index 96ad924f..588bb736 100644
--- a/docs/content/documentation/getting-started/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/content/documentation/getting-started/configuration.md
@@ -96,6 +96,9 @@ ignored_content = []
 # A list of directories used to search for additional `.sublime-syntax` files.
 extra_syntaxes = []
 
+# You can override the default output directory `public` by setting an another value.
+# output_dir = "docs"
+
 # Configuration of the link checker.
 [link_checker]
 # Skip link checking for external URLs that start with these prefixes
diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index bc14a5ab..c76f56dd 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ pub fn build_cli() -> App<'static, 'static> {
                     Arg::with_name("output_dir")
                         .short("o")
                         .long("output-dir")
-                        .default_value("public")
                         .takes_value(true)
                         .help("Outputs the generated site in the given path"),
                     Arg::with_name("drafts")
@@ -68,7 +67,6 @@ pub fn build_cli() -> App<'static, 'static> {
                     Arg::with_name("output_dir")
                         .short("o")
                         .long("output-dir")
-                        .default_value("public")
                         .takes_value(true)
                         .help("Outputs the generated site in the given path"),
                     Arg::with_name("base_url")
diff --git a/src/cmd/build.rs b/src/cmd/build.rs
index 3a2c7634..7a0e85cb 100644
--- a/src/cmd/build.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/build.rs
@@ -9,11 +9,13 @@ pub fn build(
     root_dir: &Path,
     config_file: &Path,
     base_url: Option<&str>,
-    output_dir: &Path,
+    output_dir: Option<&Path>,
     include_drafts: bool,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     let mut site = Site::new(root_dir, config_file)?;
-    site.set_output_path(output_dir);
+    if let Some(output_dir) = output_dir {
+        site.set_output_path(output_dir);
+    }
     if let Some(b) = base_url {
         site.set_base_url(b.to_string());
     }
diff --git a/src/cmd/serve.rs b/src/cmd/serve.rs
index 2f2f299a..899d2570 100644
--- a/src/cmd/serve.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/serve.rs
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@
 // WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 
 use std::fs::{read_dir, remove_dir_all};
+use std::net::{SocketAddrV4, TcpListener};
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::sync::mpsc::channel;
 use std::thread;
 use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
-use std::net::{SocketAddrV4, TcpListener};
 
 use hyper::header;
 use hyper::service::{make_service_fn, service_fn};
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ fn create_new_site(
     root_dir: &Path,
     interface: &str,
     interface_port: u16,
-    output_dir: &Path,
+    output_dir: Option<&Path>,
     base_url: &str,
     config_file: &Path,
     include_drafts: bool,
@@ -192,7 +192,9 @@ fn create_new_site(
 
     site.enable_serve_mode();
     site.set_base_url(base_url);
-    site.set_output_path(output_dir);
+    if let Some(output_dir) = output_dir {
+        site.set_output_path(output_dir);
+    }
     if include_drafts {
         site.include_drafts();
     }
@@ -212,7 +214,7 @@ pub fn serve(
     root_dir: &Path,
     interface: &str,
     interface_port: u16,
-    output_dir: &Path,
+    output_dir: Option<&Path>,
     base_url: &str,
     config_file: &Path,
     watch_only: bool,
@@ -277,7 +279,7 @@ pub fn serve(
 
     let ws_port = site.live_reload;
     let ws_address = format!("{}:{}", interface, ws_port.unwrap());
-    let output_path = Path::new(output_dir).to_path_buf();
+    let output_path = site.output_path.clone();
 
     // output path is going to need to be moved later on, so clone it for the
     // http closure to avoid contention.
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 3eec3ba3..2936354c 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use std::env;
-use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::time::Instant;
 
 use utils::net::{get_available_port, port_is_available};
@@ -37,12 +37,12 @@ fn main() {
         ("build", Some(matches)) => {
             console::info("Building site...");
             let start = Instant::now();
-            let output_dir = PathBuf::from(matches.value_of("output_dir").unwrap());
+            let output_dir = matches.value_of("output_dir").map(|output_dir| Path::new(output_dir));
             match cmd::build(
                 &root_dir,
                 &config_file,
                 matches.value_of("base_url"),
-                &output_dir,
+                output_dir,
                 matches.is_present("drafts"),
             ) {
                 Ok(()) => console::report_elapsed_time(start),
@@ -80,14 +80,14 @@ fn main() {
                     ::std::process::exit(1);
                 }
             }
-            let output_dir = PathBuf::from(matches.value_of("output_dir").unwrap());
+            let output_dir = matches.value_of("output_dir").map(|output_dir| Path::new(output_dir));
             let base_url = matches.value_of("base_url").unwrap();
             console::info("Building site...");
             match cmd::serve(
                 &root_dir,
                 interface,
                 port,
-                &output_dir,
+                output_dir,
                 base_url,
                 &config_file,
                 watch_only,