There are a lot of advantages to using a visual editor for APIs (Application Programming Interface), with a visual representation that promotes intuitive designing, and faster prototyping and iterations on your API designs, a visual editor can boost your work efficiency!
Let's explore an API design platform called Stoplight Studio!
Moreover, Apidog is completely free for personal use, you can click the button below to try Apidog for free👇👇👇
What is Stoplight Studio?
Stoplight Studio is a collaborative API design platform that allows users to design, document, and test APIs. Stoplight Studio has been used for creating and managing APIs throughout their lifecycle, from design to deployment.
Nice Features Offered by Stoplight Studio
Team Collaboration: Stoplight Studio supports collaboration features, enabling multiple team members to work on the API design concurrently. This promotes better communication and coordination among team members.
Automated Documentation: Stoplight Studio can automatically generate API documentation based on the visual design. This ensures the documentation stays in sync with the actual API implementation, saving lots of time and reducing manual errors.
Enforced Standards: Stoplight Studio has built-in support for industry standards and best practices. This helps enforce consistency and adherence to standards across API designs within a team or organization.
Gentle Learning Curve: Stoplight Studio can be more accessible to new developers who may not be familiar with writing raw code but still need to contribute to the API design process. This can bridge the gap between technical and non-technical team members.
Built-in Testing Tools: Stolight Studio includes testing features, allowing developers to test API endpoints directly within the editor. This facilitates the early identification of issues and supports a more iterative development process.
Guide On How to Use Stoplight Studio Web
Firstly, visit the Stoplight Studio website https://stoplight.io/ , and click the Get Started for Free button as pointed out in the picture above.
Input your email so that you can sign up for Stoplight Studio.
If you're trying to download Stoplight Studio to learn, input any company name and workspace URL you like.
They will send a verification code to your email to ensure that it is you making an account. Enter the code that you have just received.
Enter your Stoplight Studio account with your details. (Note: You are fully responsible for any harm or damage done by the release of your credentials.)
Ensure that you select the small link below, as shown in the picture above. The other options are all paid and will not be necessary.
If you have followed the steps above correctly, the next page should be like the "Main Menu" to Stoplight Studio Web.
Downloading Stoplight Studio Desktop Version
Depending on what operating system your device uses, you can download it from this website: https://github.com/stoplightio/studio/releases. Make sure that you download the correct version, else it may not be able to load.
Top Alternatives for Stoplight Studio
If you feel that Stoplight Studio is not the right API design tool for you, there are a lot of other applications you can download.
Apidog
Apidog is a powerful API platform with a wide variety of tools. It can help teams of developers implement the best practices for API, with an emphasis on design-first API development.
Apidog has tools such as an API developing toolkit, an automated testing tool, online API documentation, and a mock server.
Postman
Postman is a popular collaboration platform for API development, known for providing a user-friendly interface. Developers can design, test, and document APIs with Postman.
SwaggerHub
SwaggerHub is particularly known for its adherence to the OpenAPI Specification, a widely adopted standard for defining RESTful APIs. It caters to teams of varying sizes, from small development groups to large enterprises, and provides a centralized platform for API development and collaboration.
Using Apidog for Better API Documentation
Before beginning the steps below, make sure to download Apidog by clicking on the button below!
Step 1 - Sign Up Using Available Method
Sign up using an account you prefer to start using Apidog. You can use a Gmail or any other email account to sign up, or if you'd prefer using your GitHub account, by all means, please do.
Step 2 - Create a New Project
Once you enter, you should be greeted with the default "My Workspace" screen, where you can see a sample project made. In order to start making your own API and corresponding API documentation, click on "New Project", found in the upper left corner of the Apidog window.
Make sure to give a purposeful name for your new project.
Step 3 - Create New API
As it is a brand new project, start by choosing "New API". Fields are waiting for your input, so get started with creating your very first API with Apidog! (Of course, it is encouraged to provide information on all the fields that Apidog has. It will look cohesive and elegant at the end.)
Step 4 - Save Your API
Last, but not least, ensure that you have saved all your progress in developing the API.
The beauty of Apidog is that the interface acts as API documentation immediately. You can view all the descriptions of your API as soon as you hit the save button. Response and code samples, along with API path and query parameters are all ready!
To explore more, you can check out the comprehensive guide on how to generate API documentation using Apidog.
