The only API documentation platforms you need to know

What is API documentation

We can all agree that well-written API documentation saves time for your API users, makes your API product more adoptable, and enhances developer success.

Good ones mean faster and more seamless integration between systems, on top of higher productivity and improved collaboration for developers. Bad ones, on the other hand, mean confused developers, hours spent back and forth on implementation, and frustrated users.

Despite how important API docs are, building and maintaining them are unfortunately not the most fun thing to do. It’s tedious. It’s time-consuming. It’s at the bottom of my list of “things I like to do at work.” I think most developers can agree.

Why developers need API documentation tools

API documentation platforms are here to help you with that. These tools come with a large range of functions, but they share the same goal—to make creating quality API docs faster, easier, and more efficient. Give your API users the best user experience through features such as autogenerating API endpoint docs, smart error feedback, real-time comments, and docs optimized for live multi-user collaboration.

If you don’t know where to start, no worries! I’ve done my research and here are my picks for the best API documentation tools:

Mintlify

Best for autogenerating and managing API docs

Product overview

Mintlify is a documentation platform that helps you better communicate with—and convert—your users. The tool comes with out-of-the-box analytics, effortless design, and uses your OpenAPI files to seamlessly autogenerate API endpoints. Each page features a beautiful user interface that can be easily tailored to reflect the look and feel of your team’s brand.

On top of that, the platform helps you automatically implement API docs best practices with built-in components for each page, including accessible request examples, success and error responses, and organized parameters and response types. It even offers interactive playgrounds, so that your users can test a request call or try out different endpoints directly in your documentation.

All in all, a powerful platform—generating precise, well-written API documentation for your team and your customers in a few clicks.

Key features

Autogenerates API docs - Cuts time out of your coding process by autogenerating API docs from simple components or an OpenAPI file.
API playground - An interactive playground so your users can authorize in and play around with your requests before integrating. (Try before buy!)
Centralized hosting - All of your docs are hosted in our Git repo, so that your updating process is as easy as possible.
Design-forward - Makes your docs beautiful and readable. Each page is styled to your brand, for your customers.

Join us or log in to autogenerate and optimize your API docs today.

Postman

Best for live collaboration on API docs

Product overview

As one of the most popular API development platforms, Postman provides a powerful complementary tool to create reliable, shareable, and easy-to-follow documentation.

Here, you can create dynamic docs with automatic updates, accessible sharing and collaboration features, and user friendly design that encourages customer adoption. Best of all, Postman is a great platform for internal docs, too, so that both you and your customers can enjoy the experience of using sleek and well-designed docs.

Key features

Powerful playground - Postman allows you to share authorization tokens between endpoints, so you don’t need to repeat the work you’ve already done.
Team collaboration - Easily share your docs and provide live feedback on APIs through comments and code reviews, so that your team can present the best docs to your users.
Personalized organization - Organize your docs just the way you like them.

Redocly

Best for previewing and automating API docs

Product overview

Redocly is an API documentation platform that streamlines the doc building process, helping teams create interactive and user-friendly docs. It’s easy to use, highly customizable, and great for collaborative team workflows. Plus, Redocly uses your OpenAPI definitions or Git provider to generate API docs for you in seconds.

With a responsive three-panel interface, powerful search, and SEO-friendly design, the platform makes your docs a joy to read. Even better, Redocly allows you to maintain your docs using your favorite source control integrated into their cloud app Workflows. Meanwhile, their Developer Portal helps you quickly build a developer platform from your API definitions.

Key features

Automate the API pipeline - Cut down on time spent by using serverless docs-like-code with automated staging and versioning, on top of centralized hosting on Git. With Redocly, your docs are always up-to-date.
Developer-friendly - Prevents user code errors by providing a “Try-it” console. Users can test out requests and responses directly within your API docs.
Preview functionality - Preview docs pages or branches before each pull request to ensure team discussion and to catch potential errors.

Try out Redocly with a 14-day free trial to begin automating your API docs pipeline!

Stoplight

Best for hosting design-first API docs

Product overview

Spotlight takes a design-forward approach when it comes to API development and documentation. With intuitive interface and thoughtful features, Stoplight uses patented technology to enable users to design and create quality APIs at scale.

As a part of accelerating the API development cycle, Stoplight enables users to easily build and design their API docs. With Spotlight, you can create, prototype, and share OpenAPI descriptions and JSON schemas using a visual editor, in addition to autogenerating API docs with editable MDX. Moreover, you can utilize a collection of up-to-date API design assets to build docs with stunning developer experience.

Key features

Autogenerated documentation - Save time and effort by letting Spotlight autogenerate your docs for you.
Collaboration - Share your docs internally or externally with the public, so you can collaborate however you need
In-house hosting - Spotlight hosts your docs for you, so you don’t have to worry about managing your own servers. Plus, you can now manage access control and measure analytics with integrations.

Swagger

Best for simplifying OpenAPI docs development

Product overview

Last, but not least, Swagger. As a household name that set the groundwork for OAS, it would be a missed opportunity for me to talk about the best API docs tools and not mention Swagger.

That’s because Swagger is not just great for simplifying API development, but it also includes SwaggerHub—a powerful platform for accelerating the docs-building process. SwaggerHub is built to heighten API discoverability, enabling your team to create a customizable portal to keep all your API docs. Portal features include building landing pages tailored to the voice of your brand and developing comprehensive onboarding guides to drive API adoption.

Key features

Teamwork-oriented - Ideal for internal team and enterprise use. Great for API documentation at scale.
Quality Control - Ensures the quality and consistency of your docs with functions such as smart error feedback, syntax autocompletion, embedded API design standards, and real-time commenting.

Jump start your API docs building with a 14-day free trial from SwaggerHub.

Wrapping up

We’ve all experienced the pains of wrangling with poorly created API docs, and it is not something we would wish on anyone. By leveraging these API docs platforms, you can boost day-to-day productivity and save time, all while providing a seamless experience for your users.

In other words, you get to drive greater API adoption with less time and less effort. I’d call that a win-win, but maybe that’s just me.

Of course, developers don’t just need documentation for APIs. Docs are needed for every step of the software development cycle. Wondering where to get started? Mintlify builds comprehensive and AI-enabled docs that are effortless to set up and easy to use. Even better, Mintlify delivers a beautiful customer experience that lets your brand shine.

Get started with Mintlify to build documentation that converts users today. Happy docs building!