These days the SaaS market is booming and it is going to go even further in the near future. There are many SaaS-based products being developed these days like Newsdata.io which is a news API with that you can get all the worldwide news data in a few clicks, now you don’t need to visit each and every news website to scrape their data.
This is the power of Saas-based products. People are creating web and mobile applications by using these SaaS products. For every API product that you build you need to have a documentation page for your users to understand how they can use your API product effectively.
In this article we will go through the best API documentation tool there is in 2022 for your API
The primary source of information on how an API works are API documentation. An API Documentation Tool (ADT) is a program that allows you to create, manage, and publish API documentation. It allows you to describe your APIs and their resources in a consistent manner.
An API documentation tool can help you reduce the time it takes your developers to write and maintain API documentation, provide a common set of documentation that is used across all of your APIs, and provide a consistent user experience for users moving from one API to another.
It is a guidebook for developers that describes the purpose and benefits of APIs, as well as best practices for integrating them. In general, well-structured documentation should include detailed information about arguments, classes, return types, and functions.
Most developers and IT consultants will agree, however, that integrating API documentation into your API ecosystem is anything but simple, especially when dealing with complex systems. In this case, an API documentation tool is extremely useful. We assessed twenty-plus API documentation tools based on the following criteria.
- Document auto-generation from API definition
- Maintain multiple documentation versions
- Automatic documentation update
- Collaboration
- Customization available
1. SwaggerHUB
SwaggerHub is well-liked by techies and software developers. This is without a doubt due to its ease of use, interactivity, being fully hosted, and a slew of other useful features. It is more than just a tool for documentation. To put things into perspective, it supports SmartBear, has an open-source API editor, and is an interactive documentation tool.
SwaggerHub is a powerful visual tool that enables API providers to create interactive documentation for their APIs, allowing them to see exactly how the contract will work before integrating it into any code.
The following are Swagger’s advantages and disadvantages.
Pros
- It offers a free tier to independent developers and solopreneurs.
- Even inexperienced users will find it simple to use.
- SwaggerHub is capable of executing API calls from the documentation.
- APIs can be deployed to AWS Lambda and AWS API Gateway.
Cons
- When paid annually, the team plan costs $90 per month.
- Issues with cloud microservices compatibility
2. ReDoc.ly
ReDocly is at the top of this list because it supports both OpenAPI v2 and OpenAPI v3. It is also extremely adaptable and customizable. Regardless of the mode selected, each end-user has complete control over its mobile responsiveness, color themes, fonts, and branding images.
The interface is simple and uncluttered. The platform has been designed with the goal of focusing on simplicity and functionality, which should entice users to use it on a regular basis without feeling overwhelmed or intimidated by too many features.
With this API documentation tool, users can also use a variety of extensions. This includes the URL of the project’s logo, links to code samples, and integration with a Github repository.
The API documentation tool, which is built with React JS, is available in both free and paid versions. It also includes a CLI that provides access to all Open API definitions.
Although it was designed for large corporations, it can also be used by individuals and small teams. In general, the benefits of ReDoc.ly are as follows:
Pros
- Highly adaptable
- Powered by a large amount of energy
- Simple to set up and use
- There is a gallery of rich and detailed document templates available.
Cons
- It, like every other platform, has its drawbacks. They are as follows:
- Individuals and small businesses may find it prohibitively expensive.
- The low-cost plans are deficient in features.
3. Stoplight
For a design-focused developer, Spotlight is the way to go. Spotlight’s built-in features make it simple to document your API. With automatic updates, accurate API documentation can be generated in a timely manner without the need for manual updating! Spotlight also saves you time on the time-consuming task of updating and maintaining documentation for each API change.
It also gives its customers the option of using JSON schema or OpenAPI-based API designs. The ability to test designs in real-time is a significant advantage of Stoplight.
Pros
- API design studio with many features
- Features of the guide design that have been optimized
Cons
- The free plan has a limited number of design options.
4. ReadMe
ReadMe is another popular choice among developers due to its simplicity and ease of use. The tool also has a number of features that make it simple to create streamlined documents.
With the power and convenience of a drag-and-drop editor, Readme enables you to create beautiful, interactive API documentation. It enables API providers to include API keys directly in the documentation and generate code samples automatically. This feature enables developers to easily make real API calls.
ReadMe also includes a large collection of documentation design templates.
Pros
- API development tool that is both interactive and responsible
- APIs can be launched in a relatively short period of time.
- Design templates for documentation that are fully loaded
Cons
- Third-party service integrations are limited.
5. Postman
Postman’s machine-readable API documentation tool enables developers to publish their documents quickly and on the fly.
The API documentation builder in Postman makes it simple to create interactive and machine-readable API documentation. Postman enables developers to quickly build documentation for new or existing APIs by automatically pulling in sample requests, headers, and code snippets. Postman simplifies the publication of documentation by providing dynamic examples and machine-readable instructions.
Pros
- Machine-readable comments allow for proper communication.
- All API documents are automatically updated.
Cons
- Complicated user interface
- The learning curve is steep.
6. LucyBot DocGen
For non-commercial use, this is your best bet. It is highly customizable for both amateurs and professionals because HTML and Markdown can be used to customize the documentation pages.
In general, the documentation pages are CSS, Javascript, and HTML assets. Each method, request, endpoint, and response is also documented by the documentation tool.
Pros
- Highly adaptable
- Easy to use
Cons
- Not suitable for individuals or small businesses.
7. DapperDox
DapperDox is an open-source renderer with an OpenAPI server. You can use GitHub Flavored Markdown to integrate OAS 2.0 and OAS 3.0 with their OpenAPI specifications (GFM). Users can experiment with the various document features available by using the API explorer in the tool’s interface.
It is one of the most user-friendly API documentation tools for assembling guides, documentation, specifications, and diagrams.
Pros
- Very simple to use
- A diverse range of themes
Cons
- Infrequent updates
8. WidderShins
This tool generates API documentation from AsyncAPI 1.x, OpenAPI 2.0, and Swagger 2.0. A new feature of the documentation tool allows you to directly output HTML.
A three-column page is displayed in the interface. The explorer, description, and console are located in the first, second, and third columns, respectively. The console is a new platform feature for making API calls.
It has a diverse set of templates that can be tailored to individual requirements.
Pros
- Non-clustered user interface
- HTML and markdowns can be created by users.
Cons
- Not so inexpensive.
9. OpenAPI Viewer
OpenAPI Viewer, as the name implies, is a powerful OpenAPI 3.0 and 2.0 spec, viewer. It can also be used with or without a framework. One of its most significant advantages is its ability to customize, brand, and personalize. To put things into perspective, one can add external content to the top and bottom of their documents, such as links, forms, images, and various forms of media.
Pros
- Simple to personalize
- Very simple to use
- Many types of authentication are supported, including HTTP Bearer and HTTP Basic.
Cons
- The free version does not have as many useful features.
10. RapidDoc
RapidDoc has some of the best API documentation tools and user interfaces on the market. This interface is structured similarly to SwaggerUI, with a single column and collapsible bars. Each bar has a console and the JSON payloads that go with it.
Because of the tool’s versatility, you can change the theme, colors, and font of your documents and UI interface. There is also an option to include external HTML code in the document.
Pros
- The user interface looks fantastic.
- It includes a plethora of themes.
- Standardization of web components
- Supports an integrated console Markdown
Cons
- Doesn’t support a wide variety of extensions
Conclusion
Finally, there are numerous API documentation tools to choose from. The best way is to try them all and see which one works best for you. Our team has created many APIs like Newsdata.io news API and we have used almost every single API documentation tool to create documentation for our API products.