A short guide to writing quality API documentation.
A thread 🧵👇
A thread 🧵👇
Quality API documentation is vital to create a good developer experience around your API.
Documentation is what explains the functionality of your API as well as how to use it. It is also a resource that developers can return to if they have issues or questions about your API.
Documentation is what explains the functionality of your API as well as how to use it. It is also a resource that developers can return to if they have issues or questions about your API.
Here are several essential points to include in your API documentation.
1️⃣ Getting started info
Start by providing a straightforward and practical explanation of how to use your API, which is why most developers initially come to documentation.
1️⃣ Getting started info
Start by providing a straightforward and practical explanation of how to use your API, which is why most developers initially come to documentation.
2️⃣ Start with your API specification
API specs can be used to generate documentation. This both is a human and machine-readable description of your API. The benefit of this is automation.
A popular example is the OpenAPI spec, with which you can describe your API's features.
API specs can be used to generate documentation. This both is a human and machine-readable description of your API. The benefit of this is automation.
A popular example is the OpenAPI spec, with which you can describe your API's features.
3️⃣ Code snippet examples
Code snippet examples should support text explanations in various programming languages or at least the most widely used.
Code snippet examples should support text explanations in various programming languages or at least the most widely used.
4️⃣ Provide reference documentation
This means providing a list of endpoints, available requests and response fields, and authentication information.
This information should be kept up-to-date. It can also be automated to stay in sync with your latest API updates.
This means providing a list of endpoints, available requests and response fields, and authentication information.
This information should be kept up-to-date. It can also be automated to stay in sync with your latest API updates.
5️⃣ Link external resources
If your API uses external tools such as OAuth for authentication, provide links to appropriate resources that developers can use to understand your API fully.
If your API uses external tools such as OAuth for authentication, provide links to appropriate resources that developers can use to understand your API fully.
6️⃣ Error and debugging
Your documentation should provide a section on errors. You should know which status codes can be returned by which endpoints and give solutions to common errors.
Your documentation should provide a section on errors. You should know which status codes can be returned by which endpoints and give solutions to common errors.
7️⃣ FAQs/comments
API documentation is becoming increasingly more interactive. Allowing a comments section enables feedback from users, making you aware of any problems or where to improve.
API documentation is becoming increasingly more interactive. Allowing a comments section enables feedback from users, making you aware of any problems or where to improve.
Extra tips:
📌 Writing documentation from scratch may not be the best option. There are open-source frameworks that provide a foundation for writing documentation.
📌 Keep your docs accessible to developers of all skill levels by avoiding overly technical explanations.
📌 Writing documentation from scratch may not be the best option. There are open-source frameworks that provide a foundation for writing documentation.
📌 Keep your docs accessible to developers of all skill levels by avoiding overly technical explanations.
📌 Documentation requires maintenance and will evolve as your API evolves. Keep it up-to-date with the API's latest changes.
📌 Ensure your documentation is well-structured.
📌 Ensure your documentation is well-structured.
Thanks for reading! 🐙
Follow @Rapid_API for more exclusive content.
Follow @Rapid_API for more exclusive content.
جاري تحميل الاقتراحات...