Proper API documentation is essential. It helps you onboard developers faster, increase the number of integrations, reduce support requests, and enhance customer satisfaction. On the other hand, improper API documentation can frustrate your customers and even lead to lost opportunities.

Below, we’ll look at five new examples of excellent API documentation and explain the unique features that made them great. Following these models should help you create better API documentation with an improved developer experience.

Notion API

The Notion API documentation is a great resource for developers who want to create integrations with Notion. The Notion API documentation is helpful because it is concise, well organized, and easy to follow. The documentation provides clear examples illustrating how to use the API and includes a comprehensive list of all the available API methods. In addition, the documentation is constantly updated to reflect changes in the API, making it an invaluable resource for developers. There’s also a Twitter and Slack community for developers.

The API documentation includes:

• A GitHub repository as a starting point
• A getting started page for fast integrations
• Plenty of code examples
• An authorization guide
• A Postman collection

Github REST API

Github’s REST API documentation has a quality developer experience for several reasons. First, all of the documentation is written using the same font as GitHub for a better reading experience. Second, it is extensive and covers all the different aspects of the API, from creating and managing repositories to creating and managing webhooks.

Third, Github’s REST API includes detailed examples for each endpoint, demonstrating how to use the API in practice. Finally, the documentation is constantly updated to reflect API changes, so users always have the most up-to-date information. Overall, Github’s REST API documentation is one of the best in the business and makes working with the API a breeze.

The API documentation includes:

• A getting started page for fast integrations
• Plenty of code examples
• An authorization guide
• A Postman collection
• Example responses
• An API testing portal

PayPal REST API

The PayPal REST API Documentation provides all the information you need to get started using the PayPal REST API. This includes information on how to create and configure your PayPal account and how to use the API to accept payments, create transactions, and more. The documentation also includes a comprehensive API reference that provides detailed information on all of the API’s endpoints and parameters. The Paypal team is also very responsive to questions and comments and is constantly improving the documentation.

The API documentation includes:

• Plenty of code examples
• An authorization guide
• A Postman collection
• Example responses

MailChimp Marketing API

Mailchimp’s marketing API documentation is top-notch for several reasons. First, the API includes a detailed description of all of the API’s features, along with a step-by-step guide to setting up your first campaign. Second, the organization is intuitive, making it easy to find the information you need. Third, the writing is clear and concise, with code snippets and examples that are easy to follow. Finally, the support is good, with an active community always willing to help. If you’re looking for a email marketing API to use, Mailchimp is a worthy choice.

The API documentation includes:

• Plenty of code examples
• An authorization guide
• A Postman collection
• Example responses

Jira REST API

There are many reasons why the Jira REST API documentation is great. First, it’s comprehensive and covers all aspects of the API — it even covers the Jira frontend API. Second, it provides code examples for all the API methods. It is well-organized but is not always easy to navigate. Lastly, the documentation is constantly updated to reflect the latest changes in the API.

The API documentation includes:

• Plenty of code examples
• An authorization guide
• A Postman collection
• Example responses
• Code style recommendations

Best Practices for Great API Documentation

API documentation is a vital part of any API development process. It should be clear, concise, and easy to use. And looking at the examples above, we can distill some common best practices. Here are some tips to help you create excellent API documentation:

Keep It Simple and to the Point

API documentation should be easy to understand and should not include unnecessary information. Keep your documentation simple and to the point to make it more user-friendly.

Use Clear and Concise Language

Use clear and concise language when writing your API documentation. This will make it easier for users to understand what your API does and how to use it.

Use Plenty of Examples

Examples are a great way to illustrate how your API works. Use plenty of examples in your documentation to help users understand how to use your API.

Use Diagrams Where Appropriate

Diagrams can be a great way to visually represent how your API works. Use diagrams sparingly, however, as too many can make your documentation more challenging to understand.

Keep Your Documentation Relevant

Make sure to update your API documentation as your API evolves. This will ensure that users always have the most accurate information about your API.

Final Words

After reading this blog post, you are now equipped with a few examples of API documentation with great developer experiences. Next time you read through your API’s reference, think about how you can apply one of these examples to your documentation. Hopefully, now you’ve learned the basics of what it takes to create solid API documentation and how to use it to your advantage.