Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Slate API Docs Generator VS Docma

Compare Slate API Docs Generator VS Docma and see what are their differences

Slate API Docs Generator logo Slate API Docs Generator

Create beautiful, intelligent, responsive API documentation.

Docma logo Docma

Docma is a powerful tool to easily generate beautiful HTML documentation from Javascript (JSDoc)...
  • Slate API Docs Generator Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-30
  • Docma Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-11-05

Slate API Docs Generator features and specs

  • Clean and Modern Design
    Slate offers a visually appealing and responsive design that enhances readability and user experience. The clean layout ensures that your API documentation looks professional.
  • Easy Setup
    Slate is relatively straightforward to set up using Markdown. It simplifies the process of creating API documentation, especially for developers who are familiar with Markdown.
  • Interactive Documentation
    The platform allows you to create interactive API documentation, making it easier for users to try out API calls directly within the documentation.
  • Version Control
    Slate supports version control via Git, which allows you to track changes and roll back to previous versions of your documentation easily.
  • Customization
    It offers good customization options through HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, allowing you to tailor the look and feel of your documentation to match your brand.

Possible disadvantages of Slate API Docs Generator

  • Performance Issues
    Slate can be slow to render large volumes of content, which may affect the user experience for documentation that is extensive.
  • Dependency on Ruby
    Slate is built on Ruby, so you will need Ruby installed on your environment, which can add a layer of complexity if you are not already using Ruby.
  • Limited Scalability
    While Slate is suitable for small to medium-sized APIs, it may not scale well for very large APIs with extensive documentation requirements.
  • Limited Plugin Ecosystem
    Compared to other documentation generators, Slate has a smaller ecosystem of plugins and extensions, which might limit its capabilities if you have specific needs.
  • Static Site Generation
    Slate generates static sites, which means that dynamic content or real-time updates to the documentation are not feasible without additional tooling.

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.

Analysis of Slate API Docs Generator

Overall verdict

  • Slate API Docs Generator is a strong choice for creating API documentation, especially for those who value aesthetic and straightforward design. It's particularly beneficial for projects that require a clear presentation of complex API information.

Why this product is good

  • Slate is a popular API documentation generator because it creates clean, readable, and visually appealing documentation with a three-panel layout. This layout includes an information panel for navigation, detailed explanations, and code examples, which makes it user-friendly for developers. It also supports Markdown, allowing for easy content creation and updates. Additionally, its open-source nature provides flexibility for customization according to specific needs.

Recommended for

  • Developers and teams needing to create API documentation with minimal setup
  • Projects that require visually appealing and easy-to-navigate documentation
  • Open-source enthusiasts looking for customizable documentation solutions
  • Organizations seeking to provide comprehensive and clear guidance for API usage.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Slate API Docs Generator and Docma)
Documentation
71 71%
29% 29
Documentation As A Service & Tools
Knowledge Base
74 74%
26% 26
Knowledge Management
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Slate API Docs Generator seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 13 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.

Slate API Docs Generator mentions (13)

  • How do i document my api ?
    Https://github.com/slatedocs/slate this ! Big company use it ( stripe etc ). Source: over 2 years ago
  • [ARTICLE] Stripe Releases Their Documentation Framework
    The second most common question being "What framework does Stripe use to build their documentation?" and the answer has unfortunately always been "They use a custom setup they built themselves and isn't available." - so then Slate gets brought up as a suitable replacement. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Twelve Amazing Free Hugo Documentation Themes
    DocuAPI is a multilingual API documentation theme for Hugo created and maintained by Bjørn Erik Pedersen, the lead maintainer and co-creator of Hugo itself. It’s built on top of the Slate API docs generator, which itself was inspired by Stripe’s and PayPal’s API docs. The JavaScript section of DocuAPI has been rewritten from Jquery to AlpineJS.​​​​​​. - Source: dev.to / about 3 years ago
  • Best way to document Express API
    I've used Slate to document APIs which similarly will produce a local website. You can host that privately or there's built in support to push to github pages if you're hosting it in a github repo. The documentation itself is all written in markdown and managed separate from your API code. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Building API Docs
    We used to use Slate - https://github.com/slatedocs/slate for our APIs in my previous job. That was pretty neat. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
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Docma mentions (0)

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

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Slate API Docs Generator and Docma, you can also consider the following products

Doxygen - Generate documentation from source code

Documentation Agency - We write your product or library documentation.

swagger.io - Swagger is an open source RESTapi Documentation Tool.

GitBook - Modern Publishing, Simply taking your books from ideas to finished, polished books.

Compodoc - The missing documentation tool for your Angular application

Docusaurus - Easy to maintain open source documentation websites