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Docma VS JSDoc

Compare Docma VS JSDoc and see what are their differences

Docma logo Docma

Docma is a powerful tool to easily generate beautiful HTML documentation from Javascript (JSDoc)...

JSDoc logo JSDoc

An API documentation generator for JavaScript.
  • Docma Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-11-05
  • JSDoc Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-09-17

Docma features and specs

  • Customizability
    Docma allows customization of the documentation layout and theme, enabling users to tailor the output to fit their brand or desired appearance.
  • Easy Setup
    Docma provides a straightforward setup process with minimal configuration, making it accessible for users without extensive technical knowledge.
  • Markdown Support
    Docma supports markdown files, allowing users to write documentation using simple and widely-adopted syntax.
  • Client-Side Performance
    Docma generates static documentation, which can be hosted on any web server, leading to faster client-side performance compared to dynamic document servers.
  • Search Functionality
    Built-in search functionality allows users to quickly find information within the generated documentation.

Possible disadvantages of Docma

  • Limited Flexibility
    While Docma offers customization options, the overall flexibility might be limited compared to more robust documentation generators, particularly for very specific or complex requirements.
  • Dependency on JavaScript
    Docma is based on Node.js, which means users need to have a Node.js environment set up, potentially complicating the process for those unfamiliar with JavaScript frameworks.
  • Learning Curve
    For users not familiar with JavaScript documentation generation tools, there might be a learning curve associated with understanding and effectively using Docma.
  • Limited Plugins
    Docma may have fewer plugins and third-party integrations compared to larger documentation platforms, limiting its extensibility.
  • Community Size
    As a less popular tool, Docma may have a smaller community for support, reducing the availability of community-made extensions or troubleshooting help.

JSDoc features and specs

  • Improved Documentation
    JSDoc generates detailed HTML documentation from comments, which improves the maintainability and readability of the codebase.
  • Enhanced Code Understanding
    By using JSDoc, other developers can easily understand the purpose and usage of functions, parameters, classes, etc.
  • Autocomplete and Type Checking
    When integrated with editors like Visual Studio Code, JSDoc comments can provide better autocomplete suggestions and can be used for TypeScript-like type checking.
  • Consistency
    JSDoc enforces consistent documentation across the codebase, ensuring that all parts of the code are equally documented.
  • Easy to Use
    It is relatively straightforward to incorporate JSDoc comments into existing JavaScript code with minimal effort.
  • Supports Multiple Formats
    JSDoc supports various formats and tags, making it versatile for different documentation needs.

Possible disadvantages of JSDoc

  • Learning Curve
    New users may need some time to fully understand and utilize all the features and tags available in JSDoc.
  • Manual Effort
    Writing JSDoc comments requires a manual effort from developers, which can be time-consuming especially for large codebases.
  • Not Enforced
    Without proper enforcement, developers might omit JSDoc comments, leading to inconsistent documentation.
  • Overhead
    Too many comments can make the codebase cluttered and harder to navigate in some cases.
  • Limited to JavaScript
    JSDoc is primarily designed for JavaScript, which can be limiting if the project includes multiple languages.

Analysis of JSDoc

Overall verdict

  • Overall, JSDoc is a valuable tool for JavaScript developers looking for an effective way to document their code. It is widely regarded as good due to its ease of use, comprehensive feature set, and ability to produce well-structured documentation. The automatic generation of documentation from source code comments can significantly enhance the quality and accessibility of technical documentation, making it a recommended choice for many developers.

Why this product is good

  • JSDoc is a documentation generator for JavaScript, which is highly beneficial for developers as it allows them to create detailed and structured documentation directly from their code comments. This helps in understanding and maintaining codebases, particularly in large projects, by providing clear API documentation that is both easy to read and navigate. JSDoc supports a wide range of tags to cover different aspects of the code documentation, including function descriptions, parameter types, return values, and more. Moreover, it integrates well with other tools and workflows, improving documentation consistency and developer efficiency.

Recommended for

  • JavaScript developers who want to improve their code documentation.
  • Teams working on large or complex JavaScript projects needing clear and consistent API documentation.
  • Developers who prefer automating the documentation process directly from code comments.
  • Projects that require integration with other documentation or build tools.

Docma videos

No Docma videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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JSDoc videos

ep1 - Documenting your javascript code like a pro, setting up JSdoc

More videos:

  • Review - How JSDoc Support was Added to TypeScript pt1 - TypeScript PR Reviews
  • Review - How JSDoc Support was Added to TypeScript pt2 - TypeScript PR Reviews

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Docma and JSDoc)
Documentation
20 20%
80% 80
Documentation As A Service & Tools
Knowledge Base
100 100%
0% 0
Development
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Docma and JSDoc

Docma Reviews

We have no reviews of Docma yet.
Be the first one to post

JSDoc Reviews

20 Best Web Project Documentation Tools
It is to Sass what JSDoc is to JavaScript: a documentation system to build pretty and powerful docs in the blink of an eye.
Source: bashooka.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, JSDoc seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 54 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Docma mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Docma yet. Tracking of Docma recommendations started around Mar 2021.

JSDoc mentions (54)

  • Documenting Web Components With Storybook
    One of the best tools available in Web Component development is the Custom Elements Manifest. It's a JSON representation of all your available components, covering all the attributes, methods, slots and events they support, powered by your JSDoc comments and TypeScript types. You can customize the manifest generation through plugins to support custom JSDoc comments, allowing you to power more pieces of your... - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Just Say No to JavaScript
    I've seen several ways of annotating Javascript that IDEs seem to understand. They usually involve using comments before fields, classes, or functions. The most compliant one seems to be using [JSDoc](https://jsdoc.app/). JSDoc is mostly intended for generating documentation. However, the Typescript compiler can validate types (and can even interoperate with Typescript definitions), if you configure it as such. In... - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • TypeScript (and JSDoc) vs JavaScript
    If you choose to use JSDoc instead of TypeScript, this only con that TypeScript has is gone, but a new one appears: JSDoc doesnt work very well with more complex types if you dont use classes to represent them. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • How to document your JavaScript package
    Thanks to JSDoc it's easy to write documentation that is coupled with your code and can be consumed by users in a variety of formats. When combined with a modern publishing flow like JSR, you can easily create comprehensive documentation for your package that not only fits within your workflow, but also integrates directly in the tools your users consume your package with. This blog post aims to cover best... - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Deep Dive: Google Apps Script - Testing APIs and Automating Sheets
    Note: For simplicity, I will omit the JavaScript documentation, but for a production grade code you may want to add the documentation (see jsdoc.app website for more). - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Docma and JSDoc, you can also consider the following products

Documentation Agency - We write your product or library documentation.

JSOLint - Format, verify, and lint JSON effortlessly with our powerful Validator Tool. Generate pretty JSON and validate online for free. Simplify your JSON tasks

Docusaurus - Easy to maintain open source documentation websites

Doxygen - Generate documentation from source code

Archbee.io - Archbee is a developer-focused product docs tool for your team. Build beautiful product documentation sites or internal wikis/knowledge bases to get your team and product knowledge in one place.

DocFX - A documentation generation tool for API reference and Markdown files!