Introduction
Technical writing is a type of writing that combines the skill of content writing with technical knowledge. The person who does this kind of writing is called a technical writer. Technical writers ensure that the articles or write-ups are clear and understandable to the target audience. One of the aspects of technical writing is API Documentation. In my previous article, we understood the concept of APIs and how they work. In this article, we will learn how to about API documentation.
What is API documentation?
Ever bought a new device but did not know how to set it up? Thank heavens for user manuals, right? The user manual tells you all you need to know about setting up your device and how to use it. API documentation (also known as Programmers Documentation) does the same for developers. It is a technical document that contains all the developer needs to know about how to use and integrate the API.
It is reference material that contains all the information that a developer needs to work with the said API. It explains how to get started with your API, and contains a tutorial on usage, language, return type, arguments, code samples, glossary, and an index.
Who writes API documentation?
Although developers can write API documentation, it is done by technical writers. This is because the developer is very likely to use technical terms that may not be easily understood by entry-level developers who want to use the API. It is a technical writer’s job to translate technical jargon into easily understood terms or concepts. API documentation should be clear and understood by developers of every level (beginners, intermediates, and experts).
It is impossible to efficiently document an API if you do not know how it works, what language was used, and every other important detail of the API. So, the technical writer works closely with the developers of the API to get all the necessary information. The documentation should be written in plain, simple English. It should also be updated as often as necessary to serve developers better.
API documentation should include:
Title
Overview: This serves as an introduction and it contains a brief description of the API in question. A summary of why it was created, what it does, and the benefits of using said API over others.
Tutorials: This includes a step-by-step guide on how to integrate the API. This part of the documentation is crucial and should be well put together to improve the developer experience.
Examples: Having written the steps taken to use the API, it is important to include examples of requests and responses.
Code snippets: Add code snippets where necessary.
Additional resources: Videos, images, or GIFs that will help the user more can be included.
Glossary: You write and explain all the API-related terms, phrases, or acronyms used in the documentation here to help the user better understand the documentation.
Types of API documentation
There are three types of API documentation. They are:
Tutorials: This kind gives step-by-step instructions on how to do certain tasks using the API.
Reference documentation: This provides the details (like structure, and return values) of each function for consultation by the users.
Conceptual documentation: This provides information about the process of using APIs to develop applications or fusing multiple APIs into an application and not just studying single functions of the API.
Tools used for API documentation
API documentation tools (ADTs) are tools that enable you to create and maintain your API documentation. They are important because they reduce the time you take to put your documentation together, help you produce documentation with a similar structure to provide a similar user experience for all your APIs and they also make API documentation maintenance easy.
These tools can:
Maintain multiple versions of your documentation
Provide options for customization
Allow collaboration on documents
Auto-update documentations
Auto-generate documentation from API description or definition
Some API documentation tools include:
Redoc; and so many others.
Good API documentation should:
Be clear and in the simplest form with all important details included
Be devoid of technical jargon so that entry-level developers can understand
Include examples and sample codes to improve the user experience
Have a glossary to explain technical terms used in the documentation
Be devoid of errors. So, ensure to proofread and edit your documentation before putting it out there.
Importance of API documentation
You are probably wondering why you should care about documenting APIs. Here are a few reasons why:
It makes developers' lives easier: Developers spend less time writing long lines of code to set up an API and even lesser time understanding how to integrate the API that they have access to.
Productivity: New users will start working immediately because they have a reference manual to help them set up.
It improves developer experience: People tend to adopt products that they found easy to use or enjoyed using. The same goes for developers. If your API is properly documented, developers would use it.
Maintenance: With proper documentation of any product, maintenance is easy. Updates are made when due.
Publicity: Satisfied customers are your biggest advocates. The more developers find your API helpful, the more they refer it to other developers who need it.
Summary
No matter how great an API is, it is useless if developers do not understand how to use it. Every API should have some sort of documentation for anybody to be able to use it. API documentation is important because it explains to users how to use and integrate the API you developed. Also, it benefits your future self and it should be comprehensive and easy to follow.
Writing API documentation from scratch can be complicated and time-wasting but using ADTs can help with that.
Remember, only usable APIs get used.