Activity: Create or fix an API reference documentation topic
- Overview
- The job market for API technical writers
- How much code do you need to know?
- Best locations for API documentation jobs
- Activity: Find an Open-Source Project
- Activity: Create or fix an API reference documentation topic
Topic 6 of 6
This part of the activity might be challenging, but here is where you’ll start building some examples for your portfolio. Use the same open-source project that you found in Activity: Find an open-source project with API doc needs.
- In the project, identify one of the API reference topics that needs help. (If the API has a new reference endpoint to document, focus on this endpoint.)
- Read the project’s contribution guidelines, usually in a
CONTRIBUTING.mdfile at the root of the repository. Some projects want you to open or comment on an issue before you submit changes, so that maintainers know what you’re working on. - Edit the topic to improve it. (If it’s a new endpoint, write the documentation for it.) Use the reference sections described in Documenting API endpoints as a checklist: resource description, endpoints and methods, parameters, request example, and response example.
- Test any requests or code samples in the topic against the API, so that you know they work.
- Create a pull request and contribute your edits to the project. Respond to any review comments from the maintainers.
- After your pull request is merged, add a link to it in your portfolio. A merged pull request shows employers that a real project accepted your documentation.
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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, 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.
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