diff --git a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/build.js b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/build.js
index cee72ad6..7d291d17 100644
--- a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/build.js
+++ b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/build.js
@@ -65,12 +65,12 @@ module.exports = async function build (sourceDir, cliOptions = {}) {
 
   // render pages
   logger.wait('Rendering static HTML...')
-  for (const page of options.siteData.pages) {
+  for (const page of options.pages) {
     await renderPage(page)
   }
 
   // if the user does not have a custom 404.md, generate the theme's default
-  if (!options.siteData.pages.some(p => p.path === '/404.html')) {
+  if (!options.pages.some(p => p.path === '/404.html')) {
     await renderPage({ path: '/404.html' })
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/dev.js b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/dev.js
index e1c74944..a2cfd0a1 100644
--- a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/dev.js
+++ b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/dev.js
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ module.exports = async function dev (sourceDir, cliOptions = {}) {
   .use(DevLogPlugin, [{
     port,
     displayHost,
-    publicPath: options.publicPath
+    publicPath: options.base
   }])
 
   config = config.toConfig()
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ module.exports = async function dev (sourceDir, cliOptions = {}) {
 
       // respect base when serving static files...
       if (fs.existsSync(userPublic)) {
-        app.use(mount(options.publicPath, serveStatic(userPublic)))
+        app.use(mount(options.base, serveStatic(userPublic)))
       }
 
       app.use(convert(history({
diff --git a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/internal-plugins/importAsyncComponent.js b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/internal-plugins/importAsyncComponent.js
index bf0bc652..33bfb423 100644
--- a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/internal-plugins/importAsyncComponent.js
+++ b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/internal-plugins/importAsyncComponent.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 function genImportAsyncComponentFile (pages) {
   return `export function loadComponent (key) {
   switch (key) {
-${pages.map(({ key, filePath }) => `    case "${key}": return import("${filePath}");`).join('\n')}
+${pages.map(({ key, _filePath }) => `    case "${key}": return import("${_filePath}");`).join('\n')}
   }
 }`
 }
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ module.exports = (options, context) => ({
 
   // @internal/async-component
   async clientDynamicModules () {
-    const importAsyncComponentCode = genImportAsyncComponentFile(context.siteData.pages)
+    const importAsyncComponentCode = genImportAsyncComponentFile(context.pages)
     return {
       name: 'async-component.js',
       content: importAsyncComponentCode,
diff --git a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/internal-plugins/routes.js b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/internal-plugins/routes.js
index 5fdd9dd7..aa832882 100644
--- a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/internal-plugins/routes.js
+++ b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/internal-plugins/routes.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module.exports = (options, context) => ({
 
   // @internal/routes
   async clientDynamicModules () {
-    const routesCode = await genRoutesFile(context.siteData.pages)
+    const routesCode = await genRoutesFile(context.pages)
     return { name: 'routes.js', content: routesCode, dirname: 'internal' }
   }
 })
@@ -14,11 +14,15 @@ module.exports = (options, context) => ({
  * @returns {Promise<string>}
  */
 async function genRoutesFile (pages) {
-  function genRoute ({ path: pagePath, filePath, key: componentName }) {
+  function genRoute ({
+    path: pagePath,
+    key: componentName,
+    frontmatter = {}
+  }) {
     let code = `
   {
     name: ${JSON.stringify(componentName)},
-    path: ${JSON.stringify(pagePath)},
+    path: ${JSON.stringify(frontmatter.permalink || pagePath)},
     component: ThemeLayout,
     beforeEnter: (to, from, next) => {
       registerComponent(${JSON.stringify(componentName)}).then(() => next())
diff --git a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/internal-plugins/siteData.js b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/internal-plugins/siteData.js
index 0fdfcb88..91a99baf 100644
--- a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/internal-plugins/siteData.js
+++ b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/internal-plugins/siteData.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module.exports = (options, context) => ({
 
   // @internal/siteData
   async clientDynamicModules () {
-    const code = `export const siteData = ${JSON.stringify(context.siteData, null, 2)}`
+    const code = `export const siteData = ${JSON.stringify(context.getSiteData(), null, 2)}`
     return { name: 'siteData.js', content: code, dirname: 'internal' }
   }
 })
diff --git a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/plugin-api/context.js b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/plugin-api/context.js
deleted file mode 100644
index f697ea56..00000000
--- a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/plugin-api/context.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,64 +0,0 @@
-const path = require('path')
-const { writeTemp } = require('@vuepress/shared-utils')
-
-class PluginContext {
-  constructor (options) {
-    Object.defineProperty(this, '_options', {
-      enumerable: false,
-      configurable: false,
-      writable: false,
-      value: options
-    })
-  }
-
-  get base () {
-    return this._options.siteConfig.base
-  }
-
-  get isProd () {
-    return this._options.isProd
-  }
-
-  get sourceDir () {
-    return this._options.sourceDir
-  }
-
-  get publicDir () {
-    path.resolve(this.sourceDir, '.vuepress/public')
-  }
-
-  get outDir () {
-    return this._options.outDir
-  }
-
-  get themePath () {
-    return this._options.themePath
-  }
-
-  get publicPath () {
-    return this._options.publicPath
-  }
-
-  get themeConfig () {
-    return this._options.themeConfig
-  }
-
-  get siteConfig () {
-    return this._options.siteConfig
-  }
-
-  get siteData () {
-    return this._options.siteData
-  }
-
-  get self () {
-    return this._options.self
-  }
-}
-
-Object.assign(PluginContext.prototype, {
-  resolve: path.resolve,
-  writeTemp
-})
-
-module.exports = PluginContext
diff --git a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/plugin-api/util.js b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/plugin-api/util.js
index 234deab8..84ef9341 100644
--- a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/plugin-api/util.js
+++ b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/plugin-api/util.js
@@ -107,11 +107,14 @@ exports.hydratePlugin = function ({ config, name, shortcut, isLocal }, pluginOpt
 exports.normalizePluginsConfig = function (pluginsConfig) {
   const { valid, warnMsg } = assertTypes(pluginsConfig, [Object, Array])
   if (!valid) {
-    logger.warn(
-      `[${chalk.gray('config')}] ` +
-      `Invalid value for "plugin" field : ${warnMsg}`
-    )
+    if (pluginsConfig !== undefined) {
+      logger.warn(
+        `[${chalk.gray('config')}] ` +
+        `Invalid value for "plugin" field : ${warnMsg}`
+      )
+    }
     pluginsConfig = []
+    return pluginsConfig
   }
   if (Array.isArray(pluginsConfig)) {
     pluginsConfig = pluginsConfig.map(item => {
diff --git a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/prepare/AppContext.js b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/prepare/AppContext.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1c8ab191
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/prepare/AppContext.js
@@ -0,0 +1,249 @@
+const path = require('path')
+const createMarkdown = require('../markdown/index')
+const loadConfig = require('./loadConfig')
+const { globby } = require('@vuepress/shared-utils')
+const { sort } = require('./util')
+const { fs, logger, chalk } = require('@vuepress/shared-utils')
+
+const Page = require('./Page')
+const PluginAPI = require('../plugin-api/index')
+
+module.exports = class AppContext {
+  /**
+   * Instantiate the app context with a new API
+   * @param { string } sourceDir
+   * @param {{
+   *  isProd: boolean,
+   *  plugins: pluginsConfig,
+   *  theme: themeNameConfig
+   * }} options
+   */
+  constructor (sourceDir, options) {
+    this.sourceDir = sourceDir
+    this._options = options
+    this.isProd = options.isProd
+    this.vuepressDir = path.resolve(sourceDir, '.vuepress')
+    this.siteConfig = loadConfig(this.vuepressDir)
+    this.base = this.siteConfig.base || '/'
+    this.themeConfig = this.siteConfig.themeConfig || {}
+    this.outDir = this.siteConfig.dest
+      ? path.resolve(this.siteConfig.dest)
+      : path.resolve(sourceDir, '.vuepress/dist')
+
+    this.markdown = createMarkdown(this.siteConfig)
+    this.pluginAPI = new PluginAPI(this)
+    this.pages = [] // Array<Page>
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Load pages, load plugins, apply plugins / plugin options, etc.
+   * @returns {Promise<void>}
+   */
+  async process () {
+    this.normalizeHeadTagUrls()
+    await this.resolveTheme()
+    this.resolvePlugins()
+
+    await this.resolvePages()
+    await this.pluginAPI.options.additionalPages.values.map(async ({ path, permalink }) => {
+      await this.addPage(path, { permalink })
+    })
+
+    await this.pluginAPI.options.ready.apply()
+    this.pluginAPI.options.extendMarkdown.syncApply(this.markdown)
+    await this.pluginAPI.options.clientDynamicModules.apply()
+    await this.pluginAPI.options.globalUIComponents.apply()
+    await this.pluginAPI.options.enhanceAppFiles.apply()
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Apply internal and user plugins
+   */
+  resolvePlugins () {
+    const themeConfig = this.themeConfig
+    const siteConfig = this.siteConfig
+
+    const shouldUseLastUpdated = (
+      themeConfig.lastUpdated ||
+      Object.keys(siteConfig.locales && themeConfig.locales || {})
+        .some(base => themeConfig.locales[base].lastUpdated)
+    )
+
+    this.pluginAPI
+      // internl core plugins
+      .use(require('../internal-plugins/siteData'))
+      .use(require('../internal-plugins/routes'))
+      .use(require('../internal-plugins/rootMixins'))
+      .use(require('../internal-plugins/importAsyncComponent'))
+      .use(require('../internal-plugins/enhanceApp'))
+      .use(require('../internal-plugins/overrideCSS'))
+      .use(require('../internal-plugins/data-mixins'))
+      // user plugin
+      .useByPluginsConfig(this._options.plugins)
+      .useByPluginsConfig(this.siteConfig.plugins)
+      .useByPluginsConfig(this.themeplugins)
+      // built-in plugins
+      .use('@vuepress/last-updated', shouldUseLastUpdated)
+      .use('@vuepress/register-components', {
+        componentsDir: [
+          path.resolve(this.sourceDir, '.vuepress/components'),
+          path.resolve(this.themePath, 'components')
+        ]
+      })
+      .apply()
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * normalize head tag urls for base
+   */
+  normalizeHeadTagUrls () {
+    if (this.base !== '/' && this.siteConfig.head) {
+      this.siteConfig.head.forEach(tag => {
+        const attrs = tag[1]
+        if (attrs) {
+          for (const name in attrs) {
+            if (name === 'src' || name === 'href') {
+              const value = attrs[name]
+              if (value.charAt(0) === '/') {
+                attrs[name] = this.base + value.slice(1)
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      })
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Find all page source files located in sourceDir
+   * @returns {Promise<void>}
+   */
+  async resolvePages () {
+    // resolve pageFiles
+    const patterns = ['**/*.md', '!.vuepress', '!node_modules']
+    if (this.siteConfig.dest) {
+      // #654 exclude dest folder when dest dir was set in
+      // sourceDir but not in '.vuepress'
+      const outDirRelative = path.relative(this.sourceDir, this.outDir)
+      if (!outDirRelative.includes('..')) {
+        patterns.push('!' + outDirRelative)
+      }
+    }
+    const pageFiles = sort(await globby(patterns, { cwd: this.sourceDir }))
+
+    await Promise.all(pageFiles.map(async (relative) => {
+      const filePath = path.resolve(this.sourceDir, relative)
+      await this.addPage(filePath, { relative })
+    }))
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Add a page
+   * @param { string } filePath
+   * @param { string } relative relative path of source markdown file.
+   * @param { string } permalink the URL (excluding the domain name)
+   *                   for your pages, posts.
+   * @returns { Promise<void> }
+   */
+  async addPage (filePath, { relative, permalink }) {
+    const page = new Page(filePath, { relative, permalink })
+    await page.process(this.markdown)
+    await this.pluginAPI.options.extendPageData.apply(page)
+    this.pages.push(page)
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Resolve theme
+   * @returns { Promise<void> }
+   */
+  async resolveTheme () {
+    const theme = this.siteConfig.theme || this._options.theme
+    const requireResolve = (target) => {
+      return require.resolve(target, {
+        paths: [
+          path.resolve(__dirname, '../../node_modules'),
+          path.resolve(this.sourceDir)
+        ]
+      })
+    }
+
+    // resolve theme
+    const localThemePath = path.resolve(this.vuepressDir, 'theme')
+    const useLocalTheme = await fs.exists(localThemePath)
+
+    let themePath = null
+    let themeLayoutPath = null
+    let themeNotFoundPath = null
+    let themeIndexFile = null
+    let themePlugins = []
+
+    if (useLocalTheme) {
+      logger.tip(`\nApply theme located at ${localThemePath}...`)
+
+      // use local custom theme
+      themePath = localThemePath
+      themeLayoutPath = path.resolve(localThemePath, 'Layout.vue')
+      themeNotFoundPath = path.resolve(localThemePath, 'NotFound.vue')
+      if (!fs.existsSync(themeLayoutPath)) {
+        throw new Error(`[vuepress] Cannot resolve Layout.vue file in .vuepress/theme.`)
+      }
+      if (!fs.existsSync(themeNotFoundPath)) {
+        throw new Error(`[vuepress] Cannot resolve NotFound.vue file in .vuepress/theme.`)
+      }
+    } else if (theme) {
+      // use external theme
+      try {
+        // backward-compatible 0.x.x.
+        themeLayoutPath = requireResolve(`vuepress-theme-${theme}/Layout.vue`)
+        themePath = path.dirname(themeLayoutPath)
+        themeNotFoundPath = path.resolve(themeLayoutPath, 'NotFound.vue')
+      } catch (e) {
+        try {
+          themeIndexFile = requireResolve(`vuepress-theme-${theme}/index.js`)
+        } catch (e) {
+          try {
+            themeIndexFile = requireResolve(`@vuepress/theme-${theme}`)
+            themePath = path.dirname(themeIndexFile)
+            themeIndexFile = require(themeIndexFile)
+            themeLayoutPath = themeIndexFile.layout
+            themeNotFoundPath = themeIndexFile.notFound
+            themePlugins = themeIndexFile.plugins
+          } catch (e) {
+            throw new Error(`[vuepress] Failed to load custom theme "${theme}". File vuepress-theme-${theme}/Layout.vue does not exist.`)
+          }
+        }
+      }
+      logger.tip(`\nApply theme ${chalk.gray(theme)}`)
+    } else {
+      throw new Error(`[vuepress] You must specify a theme, or create a local custom theme. \n For more details, refer to https://vuepress.vuejs.org/guide/custom-themes.html#custom-themes. \n`)
+    }
+
+    this.themePath = themePath
+    this.themeLayoutPath = themeLayoutPath
+    this.themeNotFoundPath = themeNotFoundPath
+    this.themeplugins = themePlugins
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Get the data to be delivered to the client.
+   * @returns {{
+   *  title: string,
+   *  description: string,
+   *  base: string,
+   *  pages: Page[],
+   *  themeConfig: ThemeConfig,
+   *  locales: Locales
+   * }}
+   */
+  getSiteData () {
+    return {
+      title: this.siteConfig.title || '',
+      description: this.siteConfig.description || '',
+      base: this.base,
+      pages: this.pages.map(page => page.toJson()),
+      themeConfig: this.siteConfig.themeConfig || {},
+      locales: this.siteConfig.locales
+    }
+  }
+}
+
diff --git a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/prepare/Page.js b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/prepare/Page.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4e48e6d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/prepare/Page.js
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+const path = require('path')
+const slugify = require('../markdown/slugify')
+const { fs } = require('@vuepress/shared-utils')
+const { encodePath, fileToPath } = require('./util')
+const {
+  inferTitle,
+  extractHeaders,
+  parseFrontmatter
+} = require('../util/index')
+
+module.exports = class Page {
+  constructor (filePath, {
+    relative,
+    routePath
+  }) {
+    this._filePath = filePath
+    if (relative) {
+      this._routePath = encodePath(fileToPath(relative))
+    } else {
+      this._routePath = routePath
+    }
+    this.path = this._routePath
+  }
+
+  async process (markdown) {
+    this.key = 'v-' + Math.random().toString(16).slice(2)
+    this.content = await fs.readFile(this._filePath, 'utf-8')
+    const frontmatter = parseFrontmatter(this.content)
+
+    // infer title
+    const title = inferTitle(frontmatter)
+    if (title) {
+      this.title = title
+    }
+
+    // headers
+    const headers = extractHeaders(
+      frontmatter.content,
+      ['h2', 'h3'],
+      markdown
+    )
+    if (headers.length) {
+      this.headers = headers
+    }
+
+    this.frontmatter = frontmatter.data
+
+    if (frontmatter.excerpt) {
+      const { html } = markdown.render(frontmatter.excerpt)
+      this.excerpt = html
+    }
+  }
+
+  get filename () {
+    return path.parse(this._filePath).name
+  }
+
+  get slug () {
+    return slugify(this.filename)
+  }
+
+  toJson () {
+    const json = {}
+    Object.keys(this).reduce((json, key) => {
+      if (!key.startsWith('_')) {
+        json[key] = this[key]
+      }
+      return json
+    }, json)
+    return json
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/prepare/index.js b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/prepare/index.js
index 19cd487e..68c09980 100644
--- a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/prepare/index.js
+++ b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/prepare/index.js
@@ -1,66 +1,14 @@
-const path = require('path')
-const resolveOptions = require('./resolveOptions')
-const resolveSiteData = require('./resolveSiteData')
-const PluginAPI = require('../plugin-api/index')
-const PluginContext = require('../plugin-api/context')
+const AppContext = require('./AppContext')
 
 module.exports = async function prepare ({
   sourceDir,
   isProd,
-  cliOptions
+  cliOptions: {
+    plugins,
+    theme
+  }
 }) {
-  // 1. load options
-  const options = await resolveOptions(sourceDir, cliOptions)
-  options.isProd = isProd
-
-  // 2. apply plugins
-  const { siteConfig, themeConfig, themePath, themePlugins, cliPlugins, markdown } = options
-  const pluginContext = new PluginContext(options)
-  const pluginAPI = new PluginAPI(pluginContext)
-  options.pluginAPI = pluginAPI
-
-  const shouldUseLastUpdated = (
-    themeConfig.lastUpdated ||
-    Object.keys(siteConfig.locales && themeConfig.locales || {})
-      .some(base => themeConfig.locales[base].lastUpdated)
-  )
-
-  pluginAPI
-    // internl core plugins
-    .use(require('../internal-plugins/routes'))
-    .use(require('../internal-plugins/rootMixins'))
-    .use(require('../internal-plugins/importAsyncComponent'))
-    .use(require('../internal-plugins/enhanceApp'))
-    .use(require('../internal-plugins/siteData'))
-    .use(require('../internal-plugins/overrideCSS'))
-    .use(require('../internal-plugins/data-mixins'))
-    // user plugin
-    .useByPluginsConfig(cliPlugins)
-    .useByPluginsConfig(siteConfig.plugins)
-    .useByPluginsConfig(themePlugins)
-    // built-in plugins
-    .use('@vuepress/last-updated', shouldUseLastUpdated)
-    .use('@vuepress/register-components', {
-      componentsDir: [
-        path.resolve(sourceDir, '.vuepress/components'),
-        path.resolve(themePath, 'components')
-      ]
-    })
-    .apply()
-
-  // 3. resolve siteData
-  // SiteData must be resolved after the plugin initialization
-  // because plugins can be able to extend the sitedata.
-  options.siteData = await resolveSiteData(options)
-
-  // 4. ready hook, user can do some options transformation here.
-  await pluginAPI.options.ready.apply()
-
-  // 5. apply plugin options
-  pluginAPI.options.extendMarkdown.syncApply(markdown)
-  await pluginAPI.options.clientDynamicModules.apply()
-  await pluginAPI.options.globalUIComponents.apply()
-  await pluginAPI.options.enhanceAppFiles.apply()
-
-  return options
+  const appContext = new AppContext(sourceDir, { plugins, theme, isProd })
+  await appContext.process()
+  return appContext
 }
diff --git a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/prepare/resolveOptions.js b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/prepare/resolveOptions.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 3f63c411..00000000
--- a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/prepare/resolveOptions.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,129 +0,0 @@
-const path = require('path')
-const createMarkdown = require('../markdown/index')
-const loadConfig = require('./loadConfig')
-const { sort } = require('./util')
-const { chalk, fs, logger, globby } = require('@vuepress/shared-utils')
-
-module.exports = async function resolveOptions (sourceDir, cliOptions) {
-  function requireResolve (target) {
-    return require.resolve(target, {
-      paths: [
-        path.resolve(__dirname, '../../node_modules'),
-        path.resolve(sourceDir)
-      ]
-    })
-  }
-
-  const vuepressDir = path.resolve(sourceDir, '.vuepress')
-  const siteConfig = loadConfig(vuepressDir)
-
-  // normalize head tag urls for base
-  const base = siteConfig.base || '/'
-  if (base !== '/' && siteConfig.head) {
-    siteConfig.head.forEach(tag => {
-      const attrs = tag[1]
-      if (attrs) {
-        for (const name in attrs) {
-          if (name === 'src' || name === 'href') {
-            const value = attrs[name]
-            if (value.charAt(0) === '/') {
-              attrs[name] = base + value.slice(1)
-            }
-          }
-        }
-      }
-    })
-  }
-
-  // resolve outDir
-  const outDir = siteConfig.dest
-    ? path.resolve(siteConfig.dest)
-    : path.resolve(sourceDir, '.vuepress/dist')
-
-  // resolve theme
-  const localThemePath = path.resolve(vuepressDir, 'theme')
-  const useLocalTheme = fs.existsSync(localThemePath)
-  const theme = siteConfig.theme || cliOptions.theme
-
-  let themePath = null
-  let themeLayoutPath = null
-  let themeNotFoundPath = null
-  let themeIndexFile = null
-  let themePlugins = []
-
-  if (useLocalTheme) {
-    logger.tip(`\nApply theme located at ${localThemePath}...`)
-
-    // use local custom theme
-    themePath = localThemePath
-    themeLayoutPath = path.resolve(localThemePath, 'Layout.vue')
-    themeNotFoundPath = path.resolve(localThemePath, 'NotFound.vue')
-    if (!fs.existsSync(themeLayoutPath)) {
-      throw new Error(`[vuepress] Cannot resolve Layout.vue file in .vuepress/theme.`)
-    }
-    if (!fs.existsSync(themeNotFoundPath)) {
-      throw new Error(`[vuepress] Cannot resolve NotFound.vue file in .vuepress/theme.`)
-    }
-  } else if (theme) {
-    // use external theme
-    try {
-      // backward-compatible 0.x.x.
-      themeLayoutPath = requireResolve(`vuepress-theme-${theme}/Layout.vue`)
-      themePath = path.dirname(themeLayoutPath)
-      themeNotFoundPath = path.resolve(themeLayoutPath, 'NotFound.vue')
-    } catch (e) {
-      try {
-        themeIndexFile = requireResolve(`vuepress-theme-${theme}/index.js`)
-      } catch (e) {
-        try {
-          themeIndexFile = requireResolve(`@vuepress/theme-${theme}`)
-          themePath = path.dirname(themeIndexFile)
-          themeIndexFile = require(themeIndexFile)
-          themeLayoutPath = themeIndexFile.layout
-          themeNotFoundPath = themeIndexFile.notFound
-          themePlugins = themeIndexFile.plugins
-        } catch (e) {
-          throw new Error(`[vuepress] Failed to load custom theme "${theme}". File vuepress-theme-${theme}/Layout.vue does not exist.`)
-        }
-      }
-    }
-    logger.tip(`\nApply theme ${chalk.gray(theme)}`)
-  } else {
-    throw new Error(`[vuepress] You must specify a theme, or create a local custom theme. \n For more details, refer to https://vuepress.vuejs.org/guide/custom-themes.html#custom-themes. \n`)
-  }
-
-  // resolve theme config
-  const themeConfig = siteConfig.themeConfig || {}
-
-  // resolve markdown
-  const markdown = createMarkdown(siteConfig)
-
-  // resolve pageFiles
-  const patterns = ['**/*.md', '!.vuepress', '!node_modules']
-  if (siteConfig.dest) {
-    // #654 exclude dest folder when dest dir was set in
-    // sourceDir but not in '.vuepress'
-    const outDirRelative = path.relative(sourceDir, outDir)
-    if (!outDirRelative.includes('..')) {
-      patterns.push('!' + outDirRelative)
-    }
-  }
-  const pageFiles = sort(await globby(patterns, { cwd: sourceDir }))
-
-  const options = {
-    siteConfig,
-    themeConfig,
-    sourceDir,
-    outDir,
-    publicPath: base,
-    pageFiles,
-    themePath,
-    themeLayoutPath,
-    themeNotFoundPath,
-    themePlugins,
-    cliPlugins: cliOptions.plugins || [],
-    markdown
-  }
-
-  return options
-}
diff --git a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/prepare/resolveSiteData.js b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/prepare/resolveSiteData.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 9ce28b4e..00000000
--- a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/prepare/resolveSiteData.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,82 +0,0 @@
-const { fs } = require('@vuepress/shared-utils')
-const path = require('path')
-const { encodePath, fileToPath } = require('./util')
-const {
-  inferTitle,
-  extractHeaders,
-  parseFrontmatter
-} = require('../util/index')
-
-module.exports = async function ({
-  sourceDir,
-  pageFiles,
-  pluginAPI,
-  markdown,
-  siteConfig,
-  themeConfig,
-  publicPath
-}) {
-  async function getPageData ({ filePath, routePath, base }) {
-    const key = 'v-' + Math.random().toString(16).slice(2)
-    const data = { key, path: routePath, filePath }
-
-    const content = await fs.readFile(filePath, 'utf-8')
-
-    // extract yaml frontmatter
-    const frontmatter = parseFrontmatter(content)
-    // infer title
-    const title = inferTitle(frontmatter)
-    if (title) {
-      data.title = title
-    }
-    const headers = extractHeaders(
-      frontmatter.content,
-      ['h2', 'h3'],
-      markdown
-    )
-    if (headers.length) {
-      data.headers = headers
-    }
-
-    data.frontmatter = frontmatter.data
-
-    if (frontmatter.excerpt) {
-      const { html } = markdown.render(frontmatter.excerpt)
-      data.excerpt = html
-    }
-
-    await pluginAPI.options.extendPageData.apply(data)
-    return data
-  }
-
-  // resolve pagesData
-  const pagesData = await Promise.all(pageFiles.map(async (base) => {
-    const filePath = path.resolve(sourceDir, base)
-    const routePath = encodePath(fileToPath(base))
-    return getPageData({ filePath, routePath, base })
-  }))
-
-  // resolve additional pagesData
-  const additionalPagesData = await Promise.all(
-    pluginAPI.options.additionalPages.values.map(async ({ route: routePath, path: filePath }) => {
-      if (!fs.existsSync(filePath)) {
-        throw new Error(`[vuepress] Cannot resolve additional page: ${filePath}`)
-      }
-      return getPageData({ filePath, routePath })
-    })
-  )
-
-  const siteData = {
-    title: siteConfig.title || '',
-    description: siteConfig.description || '',
-    base: publicPath,
-    pages: [
-      ...pagesData,
-      ...additionalPagesData
-    ],
-    themeConfig,
-    locales: siteConfig.locales
-  }
-
-  return siteData
-}
diff --git a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/webpack/createBaseConfig.js b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/webpack/createBaseConfig.js
index 832cc0cd..43ddf425 100644
--- a/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/webpack/createBaseConfig.js
+++ b/packages/@vuepress/core/lib/webpack/createBaseConfig.js
@@ -2,14 +2,12 @@ const path = require('path')
 
 module.exports = function createBaseConfig ({
   siteConfig,
-  siteData,
   sourceDir,
   outDir,
-  publicPath,
+  base: publicPath,
   themePath,
   themeLayoutPath,
   themeNotFoundPath,
-  isAlgoliaSearch,
   markdown
 }, { debug } = {}, isServer) {
   const Config = require('webpack-chain')
diff --git a/packages/@vuepress/plugin-back-to-top/index.js b/packages/@vuepress/plugin-back-to-top/index.js
index 900f0df1..ecfc0b64 100644
--- a/packages/@vuepress/plugin-back-to-top/index.js
+++ b/packages/@vuepress/plugin-back-to-top/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
+const path = require('path')
+
 module.exports = (options, context) => ({
   enhanceAppFiles: [
-    context.resolve(__dirname, 'client.js')
+    path.resolve(__dirname, 'client.js')
   ],
 
   globalUIComponents: 'BackToTop'
diff --git a/packages/@vuepress/plugin-i18n-ui/index.js b/packages/@vuepress/plugin-i18n-ui/index.js
index ad573886..34f15e64 100644
--- a/packages/@vuepress/plugin-i18n-ui/index.js
+++ b/packages/@vuepress/plugin-i18n-ui/index.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+const path = require('path')
+
 module.exports = (pluginOptions = {}, context) => ({
   name: 'i18n-ui',
 
@@ -5,14 +7,14 @@ module.exports = (pluginOptions = {}, context) => ({
   enabled: !context.isProd,
 
   enhanceAppFiles: [
-    context.resolve(__dirname, 'client.js')
+    path.resolve(__dirname, 'client.js')
   ],
 
   additionalPages: [
     {
       override: false,
-      route: pluginOptions.route || '/i18n/',
-      path: context.resolve(__dirname, 'index.md')
+      permalink: pluginOptions.route || '/i18n/',
+      path: path.resolve(__dirname, 'index.md')
     }
   ]
 })
diff --git a/packages/@vuepress/plugin-last-updated/index.js b/packages/@vuepress/plugin-last-updated/index.js
index 864c600b..2324244f 100644
--- a/packages/@vuepress/plugin-last-updated/index.js
+++ b/packages/@vuepress/plugin-last-updated/index.js
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 const spawn = require('cross-spawn')
 
 module.exports = (options = {}, context) => ({
-  extendPageData ({ filePath }) {
+  extendPageData ({ _filePath }) {
     const { transformer } = options
-    const timestamp = getGitLastUpdatedTimeStamp(filePath)
+    const timestamp = getGitLastUpdatedTimeStamp(_filePath)
     const lastUpdated = typeof transformer === 'function' ? transformer(timestamp) : timestamp
     return { lastUpdated }
   }