Is your API Documentation DOCful?
REST APIs are the Future
Handling information over HTTP is the foundation of the Web. Every time you search online or use a mobile app, you're accessing remote resources via HTTP.
REST APIs provide structured paths to access cloud-based resources. Their strength lies in being language agnostic — using JSON or XML as message formats, they’re universally compatible.
When I started, I worked on a cross-platform message broker with SDKs in C++, Java, and C — a way to bridge language-dependent platforms. We’ve come a long way since!
RESTful API and OpenAPI
Being more and more popular, REST APIs tend to have standards: are they RESTful or not? Does it entirely match the design pattern? Yes, they're RESTful. Else, they're just REST.
As REST APIs grow in popularity, they’re increasingly held to design standards. Are they truly RESTful, or just REST-ish? If they follow the full design pattern, they’re RESTful. Otherwise, they’re just REST.
OpenAPI is a specification for describing REST APIs using JSON. It simplifies parsing and enables a wide range of publishing tools — from Swagger Editor to sleek, modern templates.
The beauty of OpenAPI for documentation? The API and its docs live in the same file. You simply add description fields, and voilà — you’re documenting directly in the code. It’s efficient, close to the source, and surprisingly fun.
Will your Documentation Be DOCful?
DOCful is a wordplay I coined in 2019, inspired by RESTful. But it’s more than clever — it’s a call for better standards in REST API documentation.
I designed the DOCful concept to elevate REST API documentation to a high level of developer satisfaction. It combines systematic reference material with exhaustive, easy-to-access user guidance.
A DOCful documentation set includes:
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Reference Documentation: Embedded in the OpenAPI file, it should be systematic and exhaustive.
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User Documentation: Written outside the OpenAPI file — often in Markdown — and published via a static site generator. This allows for a polished, professional presentation.
| Reference Doc covers | User Doc covers |
|---|---|
| - Routes, methods, parameters - Keys & values - Return codes and error handling. | - Architecture overviews and schemas - Getting started guides - Tutorials and walkthroughs - Status & error code lists - Glossaries and troubleshooting tips |
While Swagger files –the Reference documentation– allow intro text and diagrams, they’re not ideal for expansive content. That’s where user documentation shines.
DOCful: A Natural Evolution of Docs-as-Code
The DOCful concept aligns naturally with the docs-as-code approach, as both advocate for treating documentation as a first-class citizen in the software development lifecycle.
By embracing lightweight markup languages, version control, and automation, DOCful empowers teams to create modular, reusable, and continuously maintained content —all within the same workflows developers use for code.
This synergy fosters collaboration between writers and engineers, ensures documentation evolves alongside product changes, and supports scalable publishing pipelines.
DOCful’s emphasis on structured, component-based authoring complements the docs-as-code ethos, making it an ideal foundation for modern, developer-friendly documentation ecosystems.
Tools I Recommend
To build DOCful documentation, I use:
- Swagger Editor for OpenAPI authoring
- Git and Visual Studio Code for version control and editing
- Static site generators like Docusaurus, MKDocs, Jekyll
My favorite is Docusaurus, which styling and plugin ecosystem are impressive. The ReDocusaurus plugin for Docusaurus lets you unify reference and user docs in a single portal — a DOCful dream.
Swagger UI
Swagger UI emphasizes interactivity for testing APIs, while ReDoc focuses on clean, readable documentation for exploring large specs.
Redoc
- Redoc is an open-source tool that renders beautiful, responsive API reference documentation from OpenAPI specs. It’s known for its clean layout, dark mode support, and ease of integration into static sites.
- ReDocusaurus is a plugin preset that integrates Redoc into Docusaurus websites. It lets you display OpenAPI documentation alongside your Markdown-based user guides, all within a unified developer portal. It supports dark mode, custom theming, and server-side rendering.
- Redocly is the company behind Redoc. They offer a suite of commercial tools and services — including a CLI, hosted portals, and advanced customization — for teams managing large-scale API documentation projects.
Example
See in my Portfolio an example of RESTAPI documentation and ReDoc integration for Lineberty. It's not the only one I built but the others are not publicly available and therefore cannot be included in my portfolio.
RESTAPI Documentation in 2025: What It Supports
Your REST API docs don’t just inform — they evolve with your product. I build documentation that embraces today’s standards and workflows:
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OpenAPI 3.1 Compatibility – REST APIs are increasingly defined using the OpenAPI 3.1 specification, which supports webhooks, JSON Schema vocabularies, and enhanced validation. I ensure your documentation stays compliant and forward-compatible — whether you use Swagger Editor, Redocly, or custom tools.
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Semantic Versioning & CI/CD Integration – Documentation should grow as your API does. I support semantic versioning strategies (e.g. 1.2.3 → 1.3.0) and integrate doc updates into your CI/CD pipeline, so documentation is published alongside each release. That means fewer outdated references, and faster onboarding for every new version.
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Live API Consoles – Interactive interfaces like Swagger UI and Redocly let developers test endpoints, view response samples, and troubleshoot — all without leaving the documentation portal. I embed these consoles cleanly into your static site (e.g. Docusaurus), bridging code and user experience.
©Author: Florence Venisse, STW – Reviewed version of 07/25/2025. 'DOCful' A concept of my own, introduced in 2019".