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API Documentation

The api-doc category includes content related in some way to API documentation. Many times, this category includes mentions or references to new articles on my API documentation site.

The following content is in the api-doc category:

Showcasing your API technical writer portfolio and projects — guest post by Peter Gustafson

Upcoming conference: AI the API docs

Visualizing APIs with tree diagrams, partly generated with AI

Coffee Chat recording: Ask Me Anything about Managing API documentation projects

[Podcast] Breaking ground: New API documentation course at UW, with Bob Watson

My 2024 technical writing trends and predictions

Podcast: Notes and themes from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig

Webinar: Let's talk API docs: a discussion about issues impacting documentation for APIs

Podcast: Tech writing and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, with Dan Grabski

You've heard of 'Docs as code' -- Now get ready for 'Code as docs': Q&A with Speakeasy

[Podcast] AI and APIs: What works, what doesn't

Forrester Report, Coding jobs, Hyper-personalization, RFPs, Call center replacement (Oct 9, 2023)

Documentation failures, Bestiaries, AI Explain post mortem, Inside TechComm podcast (Oct 3, 2023)

New article: AI and APIs: What works, what doesn't

Alphadoc: Build API documentation that tells your API's story

New API course topic: Using AI for summaries

New API doc course topic: Using AI for glossary definitions

New API doc course topic: Using AI for comparison tasks with API responses

New API doc course topic: Using AI For thematic analysis

New API doc course topic: Using AI to learn coding

New topic in API course: Using AI tools to write build and publish scripts

New topic in API doc course: AI document engineering with pattern-based prompts

Adding a new AI section to my API doc course

First look at the Oxygen XML's AI Positron Assistant

Blobr API portal (API doc topic)

New sections in API doc course exploring causes for poor product overviews and getting started tutorials

Updated API Getting Started tutorial

Updated Stoplight tutorial

Updated glossary article with technical examples [API doc course]

Product overviews -- a tricky space where documentation and marketing overlap

Content Strategy Insights podcast with Larry Swanson about API documentation

Finished up the section on documentation processes (for now)

How does Document360 handle challenges with API documentation?

Coffee and Content webinar recording: Treat Code Like Code; Treat Prose Like Prose

SmartBear's 2020 API report finds 'Accurate and detailed documentation' to be second-most important characteristic of APIs

Redocly tutorial added to API course

New article in API course -- Questions to ask during a documentation kickoff and demo

ISTC article on developer documentation trends

Developer portal strategies for complex landscapes -- conversation with Kristof van Tomme

API the Docs recording: How Trends in API Documentation Differ from other Tech Comm Trends

Podcast: Building Great Documentation -- WAPI FM radio hour

API doc course update: Re-architecting the OpenAPI spec tutorials to start with visual modeling tools first, then code

API The Docs Virtual Series 2020 -- Upcoming presentations and thoughts on the virtual format

Are technical writers increasingly playing non-technical roles? Some thoughts on the evolution of technical writing roles

Podcast: Users as producers of knowledge -- conversation with Nupoor Ranade about how tech writer roles are changing

Webinar recording: How Trends in API Documentation Differ from other Tech Comm Trends

Introduction to API documentation - Recording from Los Angeles API documentation workshop

Podcast: How Paligo is filling a niche in the CCMS market for complex documentation, with Anders Svensson

Checklist of different types of API docs

Podcast with Andrew Davis: Hiring API doc writers -- an inside look at fixing broken processes

Tools FAQ for API doc site

From API docs to developer portals

Updated Intro to API documentation topic

2020 Developer documentation survey

Podcast: API Design and Usability with Arnaud Lauret (API Handyman)

Upcoming API Documentation Workshop in Los Angeles, Calif., on January 23, 2020

Reflecting on my latest SF API doc workshop

Podcast with Jacob Moses on the Not-Boring Tech Writer: Skill #26: Getting Started with API Documentation

Podcast: 10 myths about API documentation

Expanding embedded Swagger UI instances in your docs

An inside look at DeveloperHub -- hosted documentation portals for API docs

Upcoming API Documentation Workshop in San Francisco, Calif., on November 19, 2019

New topic in API course: Five strategies for documenting code

New topic in API course: Research on documenting code

New topic in API course: Why documenting code is so difficult

Upcoming API Documentation Workshop in Mountain View, Calif., on August 30, 2019

If I am learning to write developer documentation, should GraphQL be on my radar? -- guest post by Casey Armstrong

Recording of Tech Comm Trends Presentation (STC Puget Sound chapter)

New video recordings of Raleigh API documentation workshop now available

Upcoming API workshops in Raleigh (April 6) and Denver (May 5)

Results from survey about engineers who write documentation

How to design API documentation for opportunistic (active, experiential) learning styles

Site analytics from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2018 -- are more engineers writing docs now?

Research on code documentation -- when not to comment on code

Recording for Menlo Park API documentation workshop now available -- and some thoughts on using cardioid versus omnidirectional microphones for recording

My upcoming presentation and workshop at the 2019 STC Summit in Denver

Bibliography of API documentation articles

Upcoming full-day API documentation workshop in Menlo Park

Preferring technical acuity over specialized knowledge

Tech comm trends -- why tech writers will be collaborating more with engineers

Tech comm trends: Providing value as a generalist in a sea of specialists (Part I)

Tech comm trends: Providing value as a generalist in a sea of specialists (Part II)

Tech comm trends: Providing value as a generalist in a sea of specialists (Part III)

Tech comm trends: Providing value as a generalist in a sea of specialists (Part IV)

Tech comm trends: Providing value as a generalist in a sea of specialists (Part V)

Tech comm trends: Providing value as a generalist in a sea of specialists (Part VI)

Tech comm trends: Providing value as a generalist in a sea of specialists (Part VII)

Getting a job in API documentation -- new topics and expansions in my API doc course

Strategies for learning technology -- podcast recommendation and a poll

Thoughts on docs-as-code after 3 years -- it works!

Non-Reference Content section updated in API course

Replaced the previous weather API example in my API course to now use OpenWeatherAPI

Recording of API documentation workshop in Denver

Recording of Docs-as-code tools and workflows presentation

Recording of STC San Francisco presentation: Beyond mere endpoint reference — the overlooked content in API documentation

Recording of OpenAPI and Swagger presentation (for STC and WTD San Diego)

Write the Docs Podcast episode 13: Postman for API development and docs — Interview with Postman Founder

Recording of WTD South Bay presentation: Publishing tools for API documentation

Case study: Switching tools to docs-as-code

Intro to API Documentation -- recording of presentation to STC Silicon Valley chapter on 11/20/2017

New OpenAPI 3.0 specification tutorial in my API Course

Question: Which software tools should I use if my goal is to write API docs?

SwaggerHub: A collaborative platform for working on OpenAPI/Swagger specification files, and more

Discoveries and realizations while walking down the Docs-as-Code path

Write the Docs Podcast episode 8: Stack Overflow's Documentation Failure and Open Source Challenges

Why simple language isn't so simple: the struggle to create plain language in documentation

Limits to the idea of treating docs as code

How big should your documentation repo be?

Impressions from the Write the Docs Conference -- and thoughts on achieving sustainability without selling out to vendors

Testing your documentation -- updates in API doc course

My Calm Meditation app -- another experiment to test my docs

Write the Docs Podcast app now on Fire TV, and the importance of testing your docs with sample apps

Moved my API doc site into separate repo

Crowdsourcing docs with docs-as-code tools -- same result as with wikis?

Write the Docs Podcast Episode 4 -- Continuous Integration and Docs as Code

How do you learn what you need to learn to be successful as a technical writer?

Guest post: Design choices for organizing API reference content with other documentation

Technical Writing Trends and Predictions for 2017

Simplified Technical English and HyperSTE

Recording: Modern Technical Writing, by Andrew Etter (STC Silicon Valley chapter)

My top 3 posts of 2016 are all Swagger-related -- lessons learned from 2016 analytics

Swagger presentation recording -- Harnessing the Chi of Swagger in your REST API documentation

How much code do you need to know to create API developer documentation?

Attend my upcoming TC Dojo presentation on Swagger on Jan 9, 2017

Recording of Open Authoring -- Collaboration Across Disciplines presentation, by Ralph Squillace

Review of Coding for Writers course by Peter Gruenbaum on Udemy

Implementing Swagger in your API documentation -- My ISTC article

Presentation recording: Hunting for API developer documentation jobs in the San Francisco Bay area, by Andrew Davis

The complexities of translation and the need for dynamic variables in the build process

Will the docs-as-code approach scale? Responding to comments on my Review of Modern Technical Writing

Review of Andrew Etter's ebook on Modern Technical Writing

Some post-STC Summit thoughts

Slides for Documenting REST APIs Workshop — 2016 STC Summit Anaheim, Calif.

API documentation workshop opportunity at the STC Summit

REST API documentation workshop recording (STC Sacramento)

10 minute podcast on API technical writing with Ryan Weber on Stitcher

What is the ideal tool for developer documentation environments?

Two upcoming API documentation events this Thursday

The third API course from Peter Gruenbaum on Udemy

Upcoming REST API documentation workshop in Sacramento

New section in API documentation course: The Job Market for API technical Writers

Challenges in documenting long JSON objects

Spec-driven Development with RAML -- presentation by Michael Stowe to STC Silicon Valley chapter

First video for API documentation course -- your feedback?

My 2016 technical writing trends and predictions, or the ripple effects of API growth on technical writers

My upcoming 2016 STC Summit workshop and presentation

How do you stay updated with changes developers are silently making?

Those pesky authoring tool questions, and an update on my adventures with Jekyll

Recording of Version Control, Writers, and Worfklows by Richard Mateosian

Swagger UI probably the coolest thing I've done in API docs

10 realizations as I was creating my Swagger spec and Swagger UI

Single sourcing the Swagger spec and main documentation using Jekyll

Podcast: Spec-driven Development of REST APIs, with a focus on RAML -- interview with Michael Stowe

5 REST API resources to add to your reading list

Tutorial for creating interactive consoles with RAML

Why so little focus on API doc at tech comm conferences?

Question: How long has your API doc course been available?

Question: How do I tell what platform people are using for API docs?

Added native library API section to API doc course

Swagger tutorial for REST API documentation

Editing workflows and reviews through Github's pull requests

Comparing object-oriented design to content reuse

How authorization works with APIs

What is a REST API?

Podcast: How do design, length, and relevance affect how people use API reference docs -- interview with Bob Watson

Peter Gruenbaum has released part 2 of his Udemy course on API technical writing

Survey results about the possible REST API workshop

Survey about possible REST API workshop — your feedback would be helpful

Reader question: How do I move forward out of a stagnant tech writing career?

Listen to Ed Marsh's Content Content podcast with me as a guest

Slides, notes, and lessons learned at the STC Summit 2015 in Columbus, Ohio

Integrating Documentation into engineering code and workflows

API technical writing course on Udemy from Peter Gruenbaum, and some thoughts on documenting JSON

API Documentation presentation to East Bay STC chapter -- slides and recording

Recording of API documentation workshop (REST and Javadoc) at tcworld India 2015

Recording of Innovation in Technical Communication keynote at tcworld India 2015

Slides for tcworld India 2015 presentations

Best practices for API documentation -- podcast with Andrya Feinberg

Survival strategies for API documentation -- slides and recording

Creating context-sensitive help by converting your help into a JSON API with Jekyll

10 reasons for moving away from DITA

API workshop video + audio + slides + workshop files from TC Camp

Implementing ScrollSpy with Jekyll to auto-build a table of contents

Moving from passive to reactive documentation -- recording of presentation by Greg Koberger, ReadMe.com founder

Most important factor in APIs is complete and accurate documentation

API doc survey: Do engineers write API doc in the source code?

API doc survey: How much of your doc process is automated?

Several REST API tutorials using the EventBrite, Klout, and Flickr APIs

API doc survey: Most challenging aspect of API documentation

Jan 12 Silicon Valley STC meeting: Passive vs. reactive doc + readme.com

Podcast: Unifying the API doc publishing toolchain, with Mark Baker

API doc survey result: How to learn what you need to know?

API doc survey result: How do you get the source files that contain code comments?

Podcast: Automating REST API documentation, with Peter Gruenbaum

My *real* top 10 technical writing trend predictions for 2015

Top 10 posts, podcasts, tweets of 2014 -- and what it all means

API doc survey: Do you create API doc by looking at source code?

API doc survey: What IDE do you use?

API doc survey: Do you test out the API calls used in your doc yourself?

Question: Where are API documentation jobs for technical writers located?

API doc survey: Authoring tools preferred by API documentation writers

Learning how developers think, and other API doc insights: Podcast with Joe Malin

API doc survey: The most common programming languages tech writers know

API doc survey: The most popular type of APIs that technical writers document

Getting a job in API documentation: Podcast with Andrew Davis

I need your responses to my API Documentation Survey

Podcast download stats kind of mind-blowing

Upcoming API Workshop with Sarah Maddox

Flat file systems versus database models for help

API and SDK documentation: Notes from Ed Marshall's Workshop at Information Development World

API Doc presentation slides and recording (San Francisco STC chapter)

Import DITA's XHTML Output into WordPress

Why developers will never adopt DITA

STC Intercom Issue Entirely Dedicated to API Documentation

Upcoming presentation in downtown San Francisco: Publishing strategies for API documentation

Introduction to API documentation: Interview with Scot Marvin

Lessons learned as a novice API technical writer -- Interview with Mary Linderman (podcast)

The future of tech comm is developer doc

Creating code samples for API/SDK documentation (webinar recording, slides, and audio)

Upcoming webinar: Creating code samples for API/SDK documentation

Writers needed for Intercom issue on API documentation

Growing trends for APIs and my favorite resources to learn technical information

Single-page docs versus "Click Insanity"

Tips for writing code comments in developer documentation

How Do You Teach New Users Programming?

About Tom Johnson

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, plain language, tech comm careers, and more. Check out my API documentation course if you're looking for more info about documenting APIs. Or see my posts on AI and AI course section for more on the latest in AI and tech comm.

If you're a technical writer and want to keep on top of the latest trends in the tech comm, be sure to subscribe to email updates below. You can also learn more about me or contact me. Finally, note that the opinions I express on my blog are my own points of view, not that of my employer.