---
title: "Introduction to API documentation: Interview with Scot Marvin"
date: 2014-06-16
description: "$( document ).ready(function() { // Handler for .ready() called. $("
canonical_url: https://idratherbewriting.com/2014/06/16/introduction-to-api-documentation-interview-with-scot-marvin/
---
# Introduction to API documentation: Interview with Scot Marvin
[![Intro to API documentation, a podcast with Scot Marvin](https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/images/podcastmicrophone.png)](https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/images/2011/04/podcastmicrophone.png)

**Listen here:**

[![](https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/images/apple_podcasts.png)](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id-rather-be-writing-podcast/id277365275)

[![](https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/images/watchonyoutubeblack.png)](https://www.youtube.com/@idratherbewriting)

[![](https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/images/spotify.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/4HeOZfPGMMfViOhVS40QBD)

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](https://twitter.com/scotmarvin) or his website [scotmarvin.com](http://scotmarvin.com/).