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:

API quick reference guides (and the challenges of passing long content into AI contexts) | Jun 1, 2025

API quick reference diagrams and my upcoming AI the Docs presentation | May 11, 2025

New article added to API documentation site: Document360 for API docs | Apr 30, 2025

Do developers need code samples in API documentation? | Mar 2, 2025

Rethinking traditional approaches to release notes -- recording of WTD Australia presentation | Feb 17, 2025

From engineer interviews to written draft, with chain of thought reasoning | Nov 3, 2024

New API course on mastering documentation by Mark Wentowski on Docsgeek | Nov 3, 2024

Using long-token contexts to quality check an entire API doc set | Jul 15, 2024

Thoughts on Docs as code being a broken promise | May 21, 2024

Prompt engineering series: Creating scripts to automate doc build processes | Apr 21, 2024

Upcoming conference: AI the API docs | Apr 3, 2024

Showcasing your API technical writer portfolio and projects — guest post by Peter Gustafson | Mar 12, 2024

Visualizing APIs with tree diagrams, partly generated with AI | Feb 13, 2024

Coffee Chat recording: Ask Me Anything about Managing API documentation projects | Jan 8, 2024

[Podcast] Breaking ground: New API documentation course at UW, with Bob Watson | Jan 5, 2024

My 2024 technical writing trends and predictions | Jan 1, 2024

Podcast: Notes and themes from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig | Dec 15, 2023

Webinar: Let's talk API docs: a discussion about issues impacting documentation for APIs | Dec 3, 2023

Podcast: Tech writing and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, with Dan Grabski | Nov 18, 2023

You've heard of 'Docs as code' -- Now get ready for 'Code as docs': Q&A with Speakeasy | Nov 9, 2023

[Podcast] AI and APIs: What works, what doesn't | Oct 14, 2023

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

Documentation failures, Bestiaries, AI Explain post mortem, Inside TechComm podcast (Oct 3, 2023) | Oct 2, 2023

New article: AI and APIs: What works, what doesn't | Sep 28, 2023

Alphadoc: Build API documentation that tells your API's story | Sep 17, 2023

New API course topic: Using AI for summaries | Sep 7, 2023

New API doc course topic: Using AI for glossary definitions | Sep 4, 2023

New API doc course topic: Using AI for comparison tasks with API responses | Aug 28, 2023

New API doc course topic: Using AI For thematic analysis | Aug 28, 2023

New API doc course topic: Using AI to learn coding | Jul 25, 2023

New topic in API course: Using AI tools to write build and publish scripts | Jul 19, 2023

New topic in API doc course: AI document engineering with pattern-based prompts | Jul 6, 2023

Adding a new AI section to my API doc course | Jul 4, 2023

First look at the Oxygen XML's AI Positron Assistant | Jul 4, 2023

Blobr API portal (API doc topic) | Jun 8, 2022

New sections in API doc course exploring causes for poor product overviews and getting started tutorials | Jul 12, 2021

Updated API Getting Started tutorial | Apr 19, 2021

Updated Stoplight tutorial | Apr 12, 2021

Updated glossary article with technical examples [API doc course] | Mar 18, 2021

Product overviews -- a tricky space where documentation and marketing overlap | Feb 3, 2021

Content Strategy Insights podcast with Larry Swanson about API documentation | Dec 2, 2020

Finished up the section on documentation processes (for now) | Nov 26, 2020

How does Document360 handle challenges with API documentation? | Nov 10, 2020

Coffee and Content webinar recording: Treat Code Like Code; Treat Prose Like Prose | Oct 2, 2020

SmartBear's 2020 API report finds 'Accurate and detailed documentation' to be second-most important characteristic of APIs | Sep 10, 2020

Redocly tutorial added to API course | Sep 8, 2020

New article in API course -- Questions to ask during a documentation kickoff and demo | Sep 2, 2020

ISTC article on developer documentation trends | Aug 31, 2020

Developer portal strategies for complex landscapes -- conversation with Kristof van Tomme | Jun 24, 2020

API the Docs recording: How Trends in API Documentation Differ from other Tech Comm Trends | Jun 4, 2020

Podcast: Building Great Documentation -- WAPI FM radio hour | May 7, 2020

API doc course update: Re-architecting the OpenAPI spec tutorials to start with visual modeling tools first, then code | Apr 28, 2020

API The Docs Virtual Series 2020 -- Upcoming presentations and thoughts on the virtual format | Apr 14, 2020

Are technical writers increasingly playing non-technical roles? Some thoughts on the evolution of technical writing roles | Mar 30, 2020

Podcast: Users as producers of knowledge -- conversation with Nupoor Ranade about how tech writer roles are changing | Mar 29, 2020

Webinar recording: How Trends in API Documentation Differ from other Tech Comm Trends | Mar 12, 2020

Introduction to API documentation - Recording from Los Angeles API documentation workshop | Mar 11, 2020

Podcast: How Paligo is filling a niche in the CCMS market for complex documentation, with Anders Svensson | Mar 9, 2020

Checklist of different types of API docs | Feb 25, 2020

Podcast with Andrew Davis: Hiring API doc writers -- an inside look at fixing broken processes | Feb 23, 2020

Tools FAQ for API doc site | Feb 13, 2020

From API docs to developer portals | Feb 9, 2020

Updated Intro to API documentation topic | Jan 9, 2020

2020 Developer documentation survey | Dec 31, 2019

Podcast: API Design and Usability with Arnaud Lauret (API Handyman) | Dec 7, 2019

Upcoming API Documentation Workshop in Los Angeles, Calif., on January 23, 2020 | Dec 2, 2019

Reflecting on my latest SF API doc workshop | Dec 2, 2019

Podcast with Jacob Moses on the Not-Boring Tech Writer: Skill #26: Getting Started with API Documentation | Oct 3, 2019

Podcast: 10 myths about API documentation | Sep 29, 2019

Expanding embedded Swagger UI instances in your docs | Sep 29, 2019

An inside look at DeveloperHub -- hosted documentation portals for API docs | Sep 10, 2019

Upcoming API Documentation Workshop in San Francisco, Calif., on November 19, 2019 | Sep 9, 2019

New topic in API course: Five strategies for documenting code | Aug 8, 2019

New topic in API course: Research on documenting code | Jul 29, 2019

New topic in API course: Why documenting code is so difficult | Jul 29, 2019

Upcoming API Documentation Workshop in Mountain View, Calif., on August 30, 2019 | Jul 8, 2019

If I am learning to write developer documentation, should GraphQL be on my radar? -- guest post by Casey Armstrong | Jul 1, 2019

Recording of Tech Comm Trends Presentation (STC Puget Sound chapter) | Jun 8, 2019

New video recordings of Raleigh API documentation workshop now available | Apr 21, 2019

Upcoming API workshops in Raleigh (April 6) and Denver (May 5) | Apr 1, 2019

Results from survey about engineers who write documentation | Mar 21, 2019

How to design API documentation for opportunistic (active, experiential) learning styles | Mar 7, 2019

Site analytics from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2018 -- are more engineers writing docs now? | Jan 14, 2019

Research on code documentation -- when not to comment on code | Dec 20, 2018

Recording for Menlo Park API documentation workshop now available -- and some thoughts on using cardioid versus omnidirectional microphones for recording | Dec 4, 2018

My upcoming presentation and workshop at the 2019 STC Summit in Denver | Nov 29, 2018

Bibliography of API documentation articles | Nov 25, 2018

Upcoming full-day API documentation workshop in Menlo Park | Oct 31, 2018

Preferring technical acuity over specialized knowledge | Oct 24, 2018

Tech comm trends -- why tech writers will be collaborating more with engineers | Oct 9, 2018

Tech comm trends: Providing value as a generalist in a sea of specialists (Part I) | Oct 2, 2018

Tech comm trends: Providing value as a generalist in a sea of specialists (Part II) | Oct 2, 2018

Tech comm trends: Providing value as a generalist in a sea of specialists (Part III) | Oct 2, 2018

Tech comm trends: Providing value as a generalist in a sea of specialists (Part IV) | Oct 2, 2018

Tech comm trends: Providing value as a generalist in a sea of specialists (Part V) | Oct 2, 2018

Tech comm trends: Providing value as a generalist in a sea of specialists (Part VI) | Oct 2, 2018

Tech comm trends: Providing value as a generalist in a sea of specialists (Part VII) | Oct 2, 2018

Getting a job in API documentation -- new topics and expansions in my API doc course | Aug 22, 2018

Strategies for learning technology -- podcast recommendation and a poll | Aug 10, 2018

Thoughts on docs-as-code after 3 years -- it works! | Jul 3, 2018

Non-Reference Content section updated in API course | Jun 12, 2018

Replaced the previous weather API example in my API course to now use OpenWeatherAPI | Apr 28, 2018

Recording of API documentation workshop in Denver | Mar 12, 2018

Recording of Docs-as-code tools and workflows presentation | Mar 9, 2018

Recording of STC San Francisco presentation: Beyond mere endpoint reference — the overlooked content in API documentation | Mar 8, 2018

Recording of OpenAPI and Swagger presentation (for STC and WTD San Diego) | Feb 14, 2018

Write the Docs Podcast episode 13: Postman for API development and docs — Interview with Postman Founder | Jan 22, 2018

Recording of WTD South Bay presentation: Publishing tools for API documentation | Jan 19, 2018

Case study: Switching tools to docs-as-code | Nov 21, 2017

Intro to API Documentation -- recording of presentation to STC Silicon Valley chapter on 11/20/2017 | Nov 19, 2017

New OpenAPI 3.0 specification tutorial in my API Course | Nov 7, 2017

Question: Which software tools should I use if my goal is to write API docs? | Oct 12, 2017

SwaggerHub: A collaborative platform for working on OpenAPI/Swagger specification files, and more | Oct 5, 2017

Discoveries and realizations while walking down the Docs-as-Code path | Aug 23, 2017

Write the Docs Podcast episode 8: Stack Overflow's Documentation Failure and Open Source Challenges | Aug 22, 2017

Why simple language isn't so simple: the struggle to create plain language in documentation | Jul 27, 2017

Limits to the idea of treating docs as code | Jun 2, 2017

How big should your documentation repo be? | May 26, 2017

Impressions from the Write the Docs Conference -- and thoughts on achieving sustainability without selling out to vendors | May 23, 2017

Testing your documentation -- updates in API doc course | May 4, 2017

My Calm Meditation app -- another experiment to test my docs | Apr 27, 2017

Write the Docs Podcast app now on Fire TV, and the importance of testing your docs with sample apps | Apr 9, 2017

Moved my API doc site into separate repo | Mar 30, 2017

Crowdsourcing docs with docs-as-code tools -- same result as with wikis? | Mar 8, 2017

Write the Docs Podcast Episode 4 -- Continuous Integration and Docs as Code | Mar 6, 2017

How do you learn what you need to learn to be successful as a technical writer? | Feb 24, 2017

Guest post: Design choices for organizing API reference content with other documentation | Feb 21, 2017

Technical Writing Trends and Predictions for 2017 | Jan 28, 2017

Simplified Technical English and HyperSTE | Jan 25, 2017

Recording: Modern Technical Writing, by Andrew Etter (STC Silicon Valley chapter) | Jan 24, 2017

My top 3 posts of 2016 are all Swagger-related -- lessons learned from 2016 analytics | Jan 17, 2017

Swagger presentation recording -- Harnessing the Chi of Swagger in your REST API documentation | Jan 17, 2017

How much code do you need to know to create API developer documentation? | Jan 6, 2017

Attend my upcoming TC Dojo presentation on Swagger on Jan 9, 2017 | Jan 6, 2017

Recording of Open Authoring -- Collaboration Across Disciplines presentation, by Ralph Squillace | Nov 15, 2016

Review of Coding for Writers course by Peter Gruenbaum on Udemy | Nov 13, 2016

Implementing Swagger in your API documentation -- My ISTC article | Sep 8, 2016

Presentation recording: Hunting for API developer documentation jobs in the San Francisco Bay area, by Andrew Davis | Aug 15, 2016

The complexities of translation and the need for dynamic variables in the build process | Aug 15, 2016

Will the docs-as-code approach scale? Responding to comments on my Review of Modern Technical Writing | Aug 1, 2016

Review of Andrew Etter's ebook on Modern Technical Writing | Jul 26, 2016

Some post-STC Summit thoughts | May 20, 2016

Slides for Documenting REST APIs Workshop — 2016 STC Summit Anaheim, Calif. | May 14, 2016

API documentation workshop opportunity at the STC Summit | Apr 7, 2016

REST API documentation workshop recording (STC Sacramento) | Mar 27, 2016

10 minute podcast on API technical writing with Ryan Weber on Stitcher | Mar 12, 2016

What is the ideal tool for developer documentation environments? | Feb 21, 2016

Two upcoming API documentation events this Thursday | Feb 16, 2016

The third API course from Peter Gruenbaum on Udemy | Feb 8, 2016

Upcoming REST API documentation workshop in Sacramento | Feb 8, 2016

New section in API documentation course: The Job Market for API technical Writers | Feb 8, 2016

Challenges in documenting long JSON objects | Jan 21, 2016

Spec-driven Development with RAML -- presentation by Michael Stowe to STC Silicon Valley chapter | Jan 9, 2016

First video for API documentation course -- your feedback? | Jan 7, 2016

My 2016 technical writing trends and predictions, or the ripple effects of API growth on technical writers | Dec 29, 2015

My upcoming 2016 STC Summit workshop and presentation | Dec 22, 2015

How do you stay updated with changes developers are silently making? | Dec 20, 2015

Those pesky authoring tool questions, and an update on my adventures with Jekyll | Dec 19, 2015

Recording of Version Control, Writers, and Worfklows by Richard Mateosian | Dec 17, 2015

Swagger UI probably the coolest thing I've done in API docs | Dec 13, 2015

10 realizations as I was creating my Swagger spec and Swagger UI | Dec 10, 2015

Single sourcing the Swagger spec and main documentation using Jekyll | Dec 3, 2015

Podcast: Spec-driven Development of REST APIs, with a focus on RAML -- interview with Michael Stowe | Oct 12, 2015

5 REST API resources to add to your reading list | Oct 3, 2015

Tutorial for creating interactive consoles with RAML | Oct 3, 2015

Why so little focus on API doc at tech comm conferences? | Sep 30, 2015

Question: How long has your API doc course been available? | Sep 29, 2015

Question: How do I tell what platform people are using for API docs? | Sep 28, 2015

Added native library API section to API doc course | Sep 26, 2015

Swagger tutorial for REST API documentation | Sep 14, 2015

Editing workflows and reviews through Github's pull requests | Sep 10, 2015

Comparing object-oriented design to content reuse | Sep 10, 2015

How authorization works with APIs | Sep 4, 2015

What is a REST API? | Aug 28, 2015

Podcast: How do design, length, and relevance affect how people use API reference docs -- interview with Bob Watson | Jul 30, 2015

Peter Gruenbaum has released part 2 of his Udemy course on API technical writing | Jul 24, 2015

Survey results about the possible REST API workshop | Jul 24, 2015

Survey about possible REST API workshop — your feedback would be helpful | Jul 20, 2015

Reader question: How do I move forward out of a stagnant tech writing career? | Jul 15, 2015

Listen to Ed Marsh's Content Content podcast with me as a guest | Jul 8, 2015

Slides, notes, and lessons learned at the STC Summit 2015 in Columbus, Ohio | Jun 29, 2015

Integrating Documentation into engineering code and workflows | May 26, 2015

API technical writing course on Udemy from Peter Gruenbaum, and some thoughts on documenting JSON | May 22, 2015

API Documentation presentation to East Bay STC chapter -- slides and recording | May 16, 2015

Recording of API documentation workshop (REST and Javadoc) at tcworld India 2015 | Mar 19, 2015

Recording of Innovation in Technical Communication keynote at tcworld India 2015 | Mar 18, 2015

Slides for tcworld India 2015 presentations | Mar 11, 2015

Best practices for API documentation -- podcast with Andrya Feinberg | Feb 4, 2015

Survival strategies for API documentation -- slides and recording | Feb 3, 2015

Creating context-sensitive help by converting your help into a JSON API with Jekyll | Feb 1, 2015

10 reasons for moving away from DITA | Jan 28, 2015

API workshop video + audio + slides + workshop files from TC Camp | Jan 27, 2015

Implementing ScrollSpy with Jekyll to auto-build a table of contents | Jan 20, 2015

Moving from passive to reactive documentation -- recording of presentation by Greg Koberger, ReadMe.com founder | Jan 19, 2015

Most important factor in APIs is complete and accurate documentation | Jan 15, 2015

API doc survey: Do engineers write API doc in the source code? | Jan 15, 2015

API doc survey: How much of your doc process is automated? | Jan 15, 2015

Several REST API tutorials using the EventBrite, Klout, and Flickr APIs | Jan 14, 2015

API doc survey: Most challenging aspect of API documentation | Jan 12, 2015

Jan 12 Silicon Valley STC meeting: Passive vs. reactive doc + readme.com | Jan 11, 2015

Podcast: Unifying the API doc publishing toolchain, with Mark Baker | Jan 8, 2015

API doc survey result: How to learn what you need to know? | Jan 7, 2015

API doc survey result: How do you get the source files that contain code comments? | Jan 6, 2015

Podcast: Automating REST API documentation, with Peter Gruenbaum | Jan 5, 2015

My *real* top 10 technical writing trend predictions for 2015 | Jan 5, 2015

Top 10 posts, podcasts, tweets of 2014 -- and what it all means | Jan 5, 2015

API doc survey: Do you create API doc by looking at source code? | Jan 2, 2015

API doc survey: What IDE do you use? | Jan 2, 2015

API doc survey: Do you test out the API calls used in your doc yourself? | Jan 2, 2015

Question: Where are API documentation jobs for technical writers located? | Dec 24, 2014

API doc survey: Authoring tools preferred by API documentation writers | Dec 24, 2014

Learning how developers think, and other API doc insights: Podcast with Joe Malin | Dec 22, 2014

API doc survey: The most common programming languages tech writers know | Dec 22, 2014

API doc survey: The most popular type of APIs that technical writers document | Dec 17, 2014

Getting a job in API documentation: Podcast with Andrew Davis | Dec 17, 2014

I need your responses to my API Documentation Survey | Dec 12, 2014

Podcast download stats kind of mind-blowing | Dec 9, 2014

Upcoming API Workshop with Sarah Maddox | Nov 28, 2014

Flat file systems versus database models for help | Nov 5, 2014

API and SDK documentation: Notes from Ed Marshall's Workshop at Information Development World | Oct 25, 2014

API Doc presentation slides and recording (San Francisco STC chapter) | Oct 16, 2014

Import DITA's XHTML Output into WordPress | Oct 14, 2014

Why developers will never adopt DITA | Sep 30, 2014

STC Intercom Issue Entirely Dedicated to API Documentation | Sep 10, 2014

Upcoming presentation in downtown San Francisco: Publishing strategies for API documentation | Sep 2, 2014

Introduction to API documentation: Interview with Scot Marvin | Jun 16, 2014

Lessons learned as a novice API technical writer -- Interview with Mary Linderman (podcast) | Jun 8, 2014

The future of tech comm is developer doc | Jun 3, 2014

Creating code samples for API/SDK documentation (webinar recording, slides, and audio) | May 30, 2014

Upcoming webinar: Creating code samples for API/SDK documentation | May 9, 2014

Writers needed for Intercom issue on API documentation | Feb 26, 2014

Growing trends for APIs and my favorite resources to learn technical information | Jan 20, 2014

Single-page docs versus "Click Insanity" | Jan 12, 2014

Tips for writing code comments in developer documentation | Jan 11, 2014

How Do You Teach New Users Programming? | Apr 19, 2013