Which tool to use for software documentation?

Software documentation is one of the most critical parts of building maintainable software and keeping your team informed about different parts of your codebase.

You may been asking which tool to use for software documentation? This article aims to help with choosing a software documentation platform by presenting the main features of different software documentation tools.

By the end of this post, you'll have a clear understanding of which software documentation tool is right for you and your team. So, let's dive into the best software documentation tools in 2023 and make sure you're equipped with the best tools to document your software development process.

1. DocumentationLab

DocumentationLab focuses on making software documentation as developer-friendly as possible. The idea is that if developer friction around writing documentation is reduced, documentation will be complete and up-to-date.

Features

  • An AI assistant that lets you talk with your documentation.

    DocumentationLab integrates your documentation with an AI language model. This lets you have a conversation with your documentation.

    How do I do thing X? What is the method for fetching a model from the database? The AI assistant will answer.

  • Supports multiple ways of working

    Developers can choose their preferred way of writing: online WYSIWYG editor or writing to markdown files using their favorite editor and then syncing with the system via CLI.

  • Helps you keep documentation up-to-date

    DocumentationLab allows you to tag documentation pages with corresponding code files. Their git integration will let you know when one of those tagged code files changes and lets you know the documentation needs an update.

Recommended for:

For all sizes of tech teams struggling to keep their documentation up-to-date and organized and wanting to reduce friction on documentation processes. "Documentation platform from developers to developers" is their slogan, and their product's developer-friendliness is unparalleled.

2. Read the Docs

read the docs screnshot

Read the Docs is a platform for building and hosting documentation webpages. It's free for open-source projects and has a paid version for businesses.

Features

  • Automatic builds

    Read the docs syncs with your version control system to build your docs so you can be confident you will always have the latest version available.

  • Download your docs in a variety of file formats.

    Read the docs lets you download your docs in various file formats like PDF, HTML, and ePub.

  • Multiple versions

    Read the docs lets you host multiple versions of your documentation simultaneously based on git tags or branches.

Recommended for:

Developer friendly documentation platform for building simple wiki sites. Free for open source projects.

3. Bit.ai

Bit.ai is a documentation platform that focuses on the organization of documents and collaboration between team members.

Picture of laptop working on programming.

Features

  • Workspaces

    Bit.ai organizes your documents by allowing you to create workspaces around projects, teams, or clients and separating your documents into those workspaces.

  • Real-time co-editing

    Real-time co-editing lets you work with your team in real time on the same document and use in-line comments to discuss the specifics of the document.

  • Integrations

    Bit.ai integrates into multiple systems like Google Docs, OneDrive, and Dropbox.

Recommended for:

Great alternative Google Docs or Microsoft Word for writing all sorts of documents while collaborating with your team.

4. Document360

Document360 is a platform for creating self-service knowledge bases for your customers and employees.

Features

  • Knowledge Base Portal

    Portal for content producers including editor, category manager and analytics.

  • Knowledge Base Site

    After documentation has been written inside the portal, Document360 will create a customized knowledge base site that can be customized based on your brand.

  • Knowledge Base Assistant

    Document360 lets you embed a widget into your site that connects to your knowledge base so users can find the needed information wherever they are.

Recommended for:

Customer facing documentation and knowledge bases.