Companies competing in API documentation
| company | description | stage |
|---|---|---|
| APIMATIC | Autogenerated SDKs and example code for APIs. | private (seed) |
| Bump | API creation tools. | private (pre-seed) |
| Fern | Helper libraries and documentation for APIs. | private (seed) |
| ReadMe | API documentation and community tools. | private (series A) |
| Redocly | Hosted API documentation. | private (seed) |
| Stoplight | Web API design and documentation. | private (series A) |
| Swimm | Documentation creation tools. | private (series A) |
What is API documentation?
API documentation refers to the information and resources provided to help developers understand how to use an application programming interface (API) effectively. It includes details on how to interact with the API, including the available endpoints, request and response formats, error handling, and authentication processes.
API documentation typically includes a range of materials, such as:
- API reference guides: These provide detailed information about each endpoint, including the HTTP methods supported, request and response parameters, and response codes.
- Developer guides: These offer step-by-step instructions on how to get started with the API, including how to register, authenticate, and make requests.
- Tutorials and examples: These provide hands-on examples of how to use the API in different programming languages and frameworks.
- API specification documents: These outline the technical details of the API, including the protocols used, data formats, and request/response syntax.
- Testing and debugging tools: These help developers verify that their API requests are correct and troubleshoot any issues that arise.
- Code samples: These provide pre-built code snippets that demonstrate how to interact with the API in different programming languages.
- Documentation of error handling and fault tolerance: This includes information on how the API handles errors, retries, and timeouts, and how developers can implement these features in their own applications.
- Security documentation: This covers details on authentication, authorization, rate limiting, and other security-related aspects of the API.
- Change logs and versioning information: These document any changes to the API over time, including new endpoints, changed parameters, or deprecated functionality.
- Support resources: This can include forums, chat channels, and other support resources that developers can use to get help when they need it.
Overall, API documentation is in almost all cases required for developers to understand how to effectively use an API and integrate it into their applications.