Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

JSDoc VS Swagger Inspector

Compare JSDoc VS Swagger Inspector and see what are their differences

JSDoc logo JSDoc

An API documentation generator for JavaScript.

Swagger Inspector logo Swagger Inspector

Free online tool to test APIs and autogenerate documentation
  • JSDoc Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-09-17
  • Swagger Inspector Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-10

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.

Swagger Inspector features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Swagger Inspector offers an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface, making it accessible for developers of all levels to quickly test and explore APIs.
  • No Installation Required
    As a web-based tool, Swagger Inspector does not require any installation, allowing developers to use it immediately without setting up environmental dependencies.
  • Support for Multiple Protocols
    The tool supports testing APIs across various protocols, including REST, GraphQL, and SOAP, providing versatility in API testing.
  • Integration with SwaggerHub
    Results from Swagger Inspector can seamlessly be transferred to SwaggerHub for further API documentation and collaboration, streamlining the development process.
  • Real-Time Testing
    Developers can perform real-time testing of API requests and troubleshoot issues instantly, which helps in proactive debugging during the development phase.

Possible disadvantages of Swagger Inspector

  • Limited Free Features
    While Swagger Inspector offers many capabilities, some advanced features are only available through paid plans, which may limit functionality for users on a tight budget.
  • No Native Desktop Application
    The absence of a native desktop application means users are reliant on maintaining an internet connection to access the tool, which might not always be feasible.
  • Performance Limitations
    Being a cloud-based service, performance can occasionally be affected by server latency or high traffic, impacting the user experience during heavy testing operations.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While basic functionalities are easy to use, there might be a learning curve involved in mastering some of the more advanced features for comprehensive API testing.
  • Dependency on an Online Environment
    Since Swagger Inspector is an online tool, its usability is dependent on the availability and stability of Internet access, which can be a limitation in offline environments.

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.

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

Swagger Inspector videos

Test APIs and Generate OpenAPI 3.0 Documentation in Swagger Inspector

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to JSDoc and Swagger Inspector)
Documentation
83 83%
17% 17
API Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Documentation As A Service & Tools
APIs
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 JSDoc and Swagger Inspector

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

Swagger Inspector Reviews

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

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.

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 / 4 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
View more

Swagger Inspector mentions (0)

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

What are some alternatives?

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

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

Simple API Doc - Publish your API Documentation. SimpleAPIDoc is a platform that allows you to publish your API Documentation in a simple and easy way.

Doxygen - Generate documentation from source code

Postman - The Collaboration Platform for API Development

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

StopLight - Stoplight is an API Design, Development, and Documentation platform that enables consistency, reusability, and quality in your API lifecycle, all with an easy, enjoyable developer experience.