What comment formats does the generator recognize?

JSDoc (/** */ with @param, @returns, @example), Python docstrings (Google style, NumPy style, reStructuredText), Go doc comments (// Package ..., // FunctionName ...), and Rust doc comments (///). TypeScript types and function signatures are parsed without any comments.

Should documentation be generated or handwritten?

Generated docs handle the boilerplate (parameter types, return types, existence of functions). Handwritten docs add context, motivation, and examples. Use generation for the structural scaffold, then hand-write the explanatory text. Pure generation produces accurate but often unhelpful docs.

What makes good API documentation?

Stripe's API docs are the gold standard: every endpoint has a one-sentence description, all parameters are documented with types and defaults, there are code examples in multiple languages, and error responses are documented alongside success responses.

Documentation Generator | DevTools Surf

DevTools Surf

Example: Documentation Generator

A worked example, rendered from real sample data. Sign in to run the tool on your own input.

Input

function getUserById(id: string) { return user; }
class UserService { constructor() {} }
const API_URL = 'https://api.example.com';

Output

{
  "title": "Generated Documentation",
  "sections": [
    {
      "heading": "Overview",
      "content": "This documentation was auto-generated from code comments and function signatures."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Functions & Classes",
      "items": [
        {
          "name": "Item 1",
          "signature": "function getUserById(id: string) { return user; }",
          "description": "Function or class extracted from source code",
          "parameters": [],
          "returns": "void | unknown"
        },
        {
          "name": "Item 2",
          "signature": "class UserService { constructor() {} }",
          "description": "Function or class extracted from source code",
          "parameters": [],
          "returns": "void | unknown"
        },
        {
          "name": "Item 3",
          "signature": "const API_URL = 'https://api.example.com';",
          "description": "Function or class extracted from source code",
          "parameters": [],
          "returns": "void | unknown"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "heading": "Quick Start",
      "content": "1. Import the module\n2. Initialize the component\n3. Call the methods as needed"
    }
  ],
  "generatedAt": "2026-09-20T12:07:29.085Z"
}

About Documentation Generator

Documentation Generator preview - API / Config tool

Generate documentation from code comments and function signatures with formatted output. Part of the DevTools Surf developer suite. Browse more tools in the API / Config collection.

Use Cases

Generate initial API documentation from function signatures before writing handcrafted docs
Create module-level documentation for an underdocumented codebase
Produce SDK documentation from TypeScript type definitions
Build README sections from existing docstring content

Tips

Paste function signatures with JSDoc, Python docstrings, or Go doc comments — the generator uses the annotations to populate parameter descriptions and return type documentation
Use the 'markdown output' mode for README sections or the 'HTML output' for hosted documentation portals
Enable 'include examples' to have the generator synthesize usage examples from function signatures — review and edit them before publishing

Fun Facts

Javadoc, the first widely adopted inline code documentation tool, was released in 1995 with Java 1.0. It popularized the /** ... */ comment convention and the concept of generating documentation directly from source code.
The documentation-as-code movement (treating docs like software with version control, CI, and review processes) gained momentum after Stripe published its approach in 2014. Tools like Sphinx, MkDocs, and Docusaurus operationalized this philosophy.
Amazon's 'working backwards' process requires a press release and FAQ to be written before any product or feature is built. This narrative documentation discipline forces clarity on requirements that technical docs don't capture — an influence on modern technical writing practices.

FAQ

What comment formats does the generator recognize?: JSDoc (/** */ with @param, @returns, @example), Python docstrings (Google style, NumPy style, reStructuredText), Go doc comments (// Package ..., // FunctionName ...), and Rust doc comments (///). TypeScript types and function signatures are parsed without any comments.
Should documentation be generated or handwritten?: Generated docs handle the boilerplate (parameter types, return types, existence of functions). Handwritten docs add context, motivation, and examples. Use generation for the structural scaffold, then hand-write the explanatory text. Pure generation produces accurate but often unhelpful docs.
What makes good API documentation?: Stripe's API docs are the gold standard: every endpoint has a one-sentence description, all parameters are documented with types and defaults, there are code examples in multiple languages, and error responses are documented alongside success responses.

Related API / Config Tools

REST Handler OpenAPI Viewer Swagger to Collection JSON package.json Analyzer Dockerfile Linter Kubernetes Manifest Validator Mock Server Config Generator API Request Builder