Introduction to API documentation: Interview with Scot Marvin
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In this podcast, I talk with Scot Marvin, an API technical writer based in Oregon, about some introductory topics with API documentation. Topics covered in the podcast include the following:
- The prevalence of APIs 15 years ago compared to today
- The definition of an API
- What technical writers are responsible to document with APIs
- Where technical writers get information about the requests, parameters, and other technical details with APIs
- Whether technical writers get info from the API code or from other sources, such as specs
- The difference between reading versus writing code
- Documentation beyond the reference API that tech writers create
- The difference between an SDK and API
- Some paths people take that lead them to doing API documentation
- Whether tech writers are at a disadvantage without a dev background when creating API doc
- What format the response of an API usually delivered in (JSON, XML)
- How a REST API differs from a Java API
- How does SOAP differ from REST
- Examples of some good sample API doc sites, and why
- The amount of continual study and learning needed to thrive in API doc space
For more information about Scott, see his Twitter handle scotmarvin or his website scotmarvin.com.
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About Tom Johnson
I'm an API technical writer based in the Seattle area. On this blog, I write about topics related to technical writing and communication — such as software documentation, API documentation, AI, information architecture, content strategy, writing processes, agent skills, tech comm careers, and more. Check out my AI courses for more on the latest in AI and tech comm. If you're looking for info about documenting APIs, see my API documentation course.
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Finally, I want to note a couple of things. I usually write the first drafts of my posts myself and then use AI to improve accuracy, clarity, and detail in places, so my writing is a mix of human and AI. (Hopefully that's not too off-putting.) Also, the opinions I express on my blog are my own perspectives, not those of my employer.