Skip to content
generate-api-docs logo

generate-api-docs

Create API reference documentation from docstrings. Use when documenting public module interfaces.

SKILL.md

Full skill instructions

Generate API Docs

Extract docstrings from functions and classes to automatically generate API reference documentation.

When to Use

  • Documenting public module interfaces
  • Creating reference guides for libraries
  • Generating HTML API documentation
  • Maintaining up-to-date API specs

Quick Reference

# Python with pdoc
pdoc --html module_name -o docs/

# Python with Sphinx
sphinx-quickstart docs/
make -C docs html

# Extract docstrings
python3 -c "import module; help(module.function)"

Workflow

  1. Ensure docstrings: Verify all public functions/​classes have docstrings
  2. Validate format: Check docstring format (Google, NumPy, or reStructuredText)
  3. Extract metadata: Parse function signatures, parameter types, return types
  4. Generate documentation: Create HTML or Markdown API reference
  5. Validate output: Verify links work and examples are correct

Output Format

API documentation:

  • Module overview
  • Function/​class signatures with type hints
  • Parameter documentation (type, description, default)
  • Return value documentation
  • Raises/​exceptions
  • Code examples
  • Cross-references to related APIs

References

  • See generate-docstrings skill for creating docstrings
  • See CLAUDE.md > Documentation for standards
  • See doc-issue-readme skill for issue documentation