Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

swagger.io VS Javadoc

Compare swagger.io VS Javadoc and see what are their differences

swagger.io logo swagger.io

Swagger is an open source RESTapi Documentation Tool.

Javadoc logo Javadoc

Oracle Technology Network is the ultimate, complete, and authoritative source of technical information and learning about Java.
  • swagger.io Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-11
  • Javadoc Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-02-05

swagger.io features and specs

  • Comprehensive Documentation
    Swagger.io offers extensive documentation that is easy to understand, making it accessible for both beginners and advanced users to document and visualize APIs.
  • Interactive API Exploration
    Swagger UI allows developers to test endpoints directly from the browser, which significantly enhances the API development and debugging process.
  • Automated Code Generation
    Swagger can generate client and server code in multiple languages, reducing the time and effort needed to develop APIs.
  • Standardization
    Swagger adheres to the OpenAPI Specification, which is widely recognized and helps in maintaining a standard format across different APIs.
  • Wide Adoption
    Being one of the most popular tools for API documentation, Swagger has a large community and wide industry adoption, which facilitates better support and resources.
  • Third-Party Integrations
    Swagger supports numerous third-party integrations, enabling seamless integration into CI/CD pipelines and other development workflows.

Possible disadvantages of swagger.io

  • Learning Curve
    Despite its comprehensive documentation, there can be a steep learning curve for beginners who are not familiar with API documentation and the OpenAPI Specification.
  • Complexity with Large APIs
    For very large APIs with numerous endpoints, the Swagger UI can become unwieldy and less performant, making it difficult to manage and visualize.
  • Customization Limitations
    While Swagger offers a lot of out-of-the-box features, there are limitations in terms of customizing the UI and some other aspects without delving into code.
  • Dependency on Additional Tools
    To fully utilize Swagger's capabilities, especially in code generation and testing, developers often need to rely on additional tools and libraries, which can add to the complexity.
  • Performance Overhead
    Running the Swagger documentation server can introduce some performance overhead, which might be noticeable in environments with limited resources.

Javadoc features and specs

  • Standardization
    Javadoc is a standardized way of generating API documentation for Java code, ensuring consistency across different projects.
  • Integration
    It integrates seamlessly with Java development, allowing developers to embed documentation directly within their source code.
  • Comprehensive
    Supports various HTML tags and custom tags to create detailed and structured documentation.
  • Ease of Use
    Once set up, generating documentation is straightforward and can be automated as part of the build process.
  • Wide Adoption
    Being widely adopted in the Java community, many developers are familiar with Javadoc conventions and best practices.
  • Linking Features
    Javadoc supports linking to other classes or external documentation, enhancing the usability of the generated docs.
  • Tools Support
    Supported by many development tools and IDEs, which can offer features like previewing Javadocs as you write them.

Possible disadvantages of Javadoc

  • HTML Limitations
    While Javadoc supports HTML, the layout is often basic and not as flexible as modern documentation tools that support markdown or other markup languages.
  • Verbose Annotations
    For large projects, the sheer volume of annotations can make source files verbose and harder to read.
  • Limited Design
    The default presentation style is quite simple and may not meet the design needs of all projects without significant customization.
  • Learning Curve
    New developers may require time to get used to writing comprehensive and effective Javadoc comments.
  • Outdated References
    The generated documentation can become obsolete if not maintained alongside code updates, leading to discrepancies.
  • Static Generation
    Javadoc produces static documentation, which lacks the interactivity found in some dynamic documentation systems.
  • Java Only
    Primarily useful only for Java projects, limiting its use for developers working with multiple programming languages.

swagger.io videos

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Javadoc videos

If Hemingway Wrote JavaDocs

More videos:

  • Review - Learn Programming in Java - Lesson 07 : JavaDoc and Unit Tests

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to swagger.io and Javadoc)
API Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Documentation
86 86%
14% 14
Knowledge Base
0 0%
100% 100
Documentation As A Service & Tools

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare swagger.io and Javadoc

swagger.io Reviews

Introduction to Doxygen Alternatives In 2021
Swagger io is a software application In the Documentation as a Service & Tools department of a technology stack. It is an open-source tool. Swagger io is an independent set of Javascript, CSS, and HTML tools from a Swagger-compliant API that dynamically produces paperwork and sandbox.
Source: www.webku.net
Doxygen Alternatives
Swagger io is a software In the Documentation as a Service & Tools division of a technology stack. It is an open-source tool. Swagger io is an independent set of Javascript, CSS, and HTML tools from a Swagger-compliant API that dynamically creates documentation and sandbox.
Source: www.educba.com

Javadoc Reviews

We have no reviews of Javadoc yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, swagger.io seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 96 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.

swagger.io mentions (96)

  • 6 Game-Changing Postman Alternatives That Will Revolutionize Your API Development in 2025
    For teams that follow an OpenAPI-first approach, Swagger UI provides a straightforward way to visualize and interact with APIs. It's not a complete replacement for Postman's testing capabilities, but it excels at creating a bridge between documentation and testing. - Source: dev.to / 1 day ago
  • How API Schema Validation Boosts Effective Contract Testing
    OpenAPI (Swagger): A comprehensive approach to API design that includes built-in schema validation capabilities. - Source: dev.to / 11 days ago
  • 🚀 The Ultimate Guide to REST API Design: Best Practices & Patterns You Can’t Ignore
    Not documenting your API (use tools like Swagger). - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Squido: A Beginner’s Guide to the HTML Website Generator
    Swagger API doc: It enables swagger and generates your super fast static API documentation. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • API Lifecycle Management: Key Strategies for Success
    Comprehensive documentation is vital for the success of an API. Providing clear, developer-friendly documentation helps users understand how to use the API effectively. Tools like Swagger and Postman offer powerful documentation capabilities. Swagger allows developers to create interactive API documentation, while Postman provides detailed guides and examples. For instance, a survey by Postman revealed that 95% of... - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
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Javadoc mentions (0)

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

What are some alternatives?

When comparing swagger.io and Javadoc, you can also consider the following products

Doxygen - Generate documentation from source code

Swagger UI - Swagger UI is a dependency-free collection of HTML, Javascript, and CSS assets that dynamically generate beautiful documentation from a Swag

Compodoc - The missing documentation tool for your Angular application

Apigee - Intelligent and complete API platform

Sandcastle - Sandcastle produces accurate, MSDN style, comprehensive documentation by reflecting over the source...

DreamFactory - DreamFactory is an API management platform used to generate, secure, document, and extend APIs.