API, Tools

7+ Technical Documentation Software Products

Posted on by Fionn
02
Jan

In technical documentation, you have many options when selecting the ‘right’ tool for your tech pubs department. In the following articles, we’ll identify, test, and help you select the solution that reflects your business and technical needs.

From one angle, the choice depends on the tech stack and specific documentation needs.

Lightweight Markdown/MkDocs is fine for basic docs while Sphinx has more features. Doxygen and Javadoc are used for in-depth API docs.
Let’s look at some of the more popular tools, then we’ll go into the finer details.

Confluence

  • Description: Confluence is a collaboration and documentation tool developed by Atlassian. It allows teams to create, share, and collaborate on technical documentation, project plans, and more.
  • Strengths:
    • Integration with other Atlassian tools like Jira for seamless project management.
    • Robust collaboration features for teams.
    • Extensive marketplace for plugins and extensions.
  • Weaknesses:
    • Can be complex for smaller teams or projects.
    • Pricing may be relatively high for some organizations.
  • Pricing: Paid
  • Cost: Pricing starts at $5 per user per month. Confluence Pricing
  • Twitter: @Confluence

MadCap Flare

  • Description: MadCap Flare is a versatile technical authoring and documentation tool known for its powerful single-source publishing capabilities.
  • Strengths:
    • Powerful single-source publishing capabilities.
    • Excellent for complex documentation projects.
    • Supports multiple output formats, including PDF and HTML5.
  • Weaknesses:
    • Learning curve, especially for beginners.
    • Licensing costs can be high.
  • Pricing: Paid
  • Cost: Contact their sales team for a quote or demo. MadCap Flare

ReadMe

  • Description: ReadMe is a developer-focused documentation platform that helps companies create API documentation, user guides, and interactive documentation.
  • Strengths:
    • Developer-friendly with API documentation in mind.
    • Easy to create and maintain interactive documentation.
    • Integrations with popular development tools.
  • Weaknesses:
    • May not be suitable for non-technical documentation needs.
    • Pricing may not be suitable for smaller startups.
  • Pricing: Paid
  • Cost: Pricing starts at $75 per month for their basic plan. ReadMe Pricing
  • Twitter: @readme

SwaggerHub

  • Description: SwaggerHub is a tool for designing, building, and documenting RESTful APIs, offering a collaborative environment for API development teams.
  • Strengths:
    • Specialized in designing and documenting RESTful APIs.
    • Collaboration features for API development teams.
    • Swagger/OpenAPI support.
  • Weaknesses:
    • Limited to API documentation use cases.
    • May require additional tools for general documentation.
  • Pricing: Paid
  • Cost: Pricing details available on their website. SwaggerHub Pricing
  • Twitter: @SwaggerApi

Docusaurus

  • Description: Docusaurus is an open-source documentation website generator, ideal for creating clean, user-friendly documentation sites.
  • Strengths:
    • Open-source and highly customizable.
    • Ideal for creating clean, user-friendly documentation sites.
    • Good for community-driven projects.
  • Weaknesses:
    • Limited to static site generation.
    • May not have advanced features for large-scale documentation projects.
  • Pricing: Free (Open-source)
  • Cost: Hosting costs if deployed on your own server. Docusaurus
  • Twitter: @docusaurus

GitBook

  • Description: GitBook is a modern documentation platform that integrates with Git for streamlined writing and publishing.
  • Strengths:
    • Integration with Git for version control.
    • Suitable for technical and non-technical users.
    • Collaboration features for teams.
  • Weaknesses:
    • Limited to online documentation.
    • Pricing can be expensive for larger teams.
  • Pricing: Paid
  • Cost: Pricing starts at $8 per user per month when billed annually. GitBook Pricing
  • Twitter: @gitbookio

DocuWare

  • Description: DocuWare is a document management and workflow automation platform suitable for broader document management needs.
  • Strengths:
    • Document management and workflow automation capabilities.
    • Scalable for enterprise-level use.
  • Weaknesses:
    • Not focused exclusively on technical documentation.
    • Pricing details not publicly disclosed.
  • Pricing: Paid
  • Twitter: @DocuWare

ClickHelp

  • Description: ClickHelp is a cloud-based documentation tool specializing in online help and user manuals.
  • Strengths:
    • Cloud-based with collaborative authoring.
    • Focuses on online help and user manuals.
    • Ease of use for non-technical authors.
  • Weaknesses:
    • May not have advanced features for complex documentation.
    • Pricing may not be competitive for some organizations.
  • Pricing: Paid
  • Cost: Pricing details available on their website. ClickHelp Pricing
  • Twitter: @ClickHelpDoc

Please note that software pricing can change over time, so it’s advisable to visit the respective websites of these tools for the most up-to-date pricing information.

Fionn