---
layout: post
title: Interactive API Documentation Now Available with 3Scale
image: >-
  http://kinlane-productions2.s3.amazonaws.com/api-evangelist-site/blog/3scale-logo.jpg
author:
  name: kinlane
tags:
  - Documentation
  - 3Scale
  - Scale
  - ai
---
I first wrote about [interactive API documentation with Posterous’s new API area](http://apievangelist.com/2011/06/17/deploying-smarter-api-documentation/ "interactive API documentation with Posterous's new API area") in June 2011, then the follow-up when [Mashery deployed their own version called I/O Docs](http://blog.programmableweb.com/2011/07/26/mashery-delivers-smarter-api-documentation/ "Mashery deploying their own version called I/O docs") in July 2011.

Smart, interactive or I/O API documentation is an evolution of API documentation from static and often boring documentation, to more interactive and real-time experience, allowing you to make live calls against an API while also browsing the documentation that explains how it operates.

Peter Gruenbaum of [SDK Bridge](http://apievangelist.com/serviceproviders/ "SDK Bridge") has surveyed and done exhaustive research on [what developers say about API documentation](http://blog.programmableweb.com/2011/05/20/what-developers-say-about-api-documentation/ "what developers say about API documentation") and [web API documentation best practices](http://blog.programmableweb.com/2010/08/12/web-api-documentation-best-practices/ "web api documentation best practices"), proving that up to date, and complete documentation can be very successful in helping developers get up and running using an API.

The [API Service Provider](http://apievangelist.com/serviceproviders/ "API Service Provider"), [3Scale](http://apievangelist.com/serviceproviders/3scale.php "3Scale") has stepped up with their own interactive API documentation for users of their platform using [Swagger](http://swagger.wordnik.com/ "Swagger"), an open-source framework that lets developers learn, play, test and debug each element of an API in real-time.

There are 3 main benefits for API owners coming from adopting [Swagger](/2011/11/09/can-swagger-deliver-a-restful-api-discovery-service/ "Swagger"):

*   Automated, consistent generation of clean, beautiful, interactive API documentation
*   Generation of client code and SDK in Scala, Java, Javascript, Ruby, PHP, and Actionscript 3
*   Feeding into an industry wide API discovery language that both developers and non-developers can use

While many companies are providing [API explorers](http://apievangelist.com/buildingblocks/api_explorer.php "API Explorer") for their developers to make live calls against their APIs, I think interactive documentation holds more value in educating developers about APIs, while also allowing them to make real-time calls. My feeling is that this makes some tough concepts stickier while trying to understand and integrate with an API.

Visit the [3Scale](http://www.3scale.net "3Scale") site for more information on using their [API management platform for deploying interactive documentation](http://www.3scale.net/2012/01/24/interactive-api-documentation-the-new-api-console-for-developers/ "API management platform for deploying interactive documentation"), using Swagger, for your APIs.

**Disclosure:**  I have consulted with 3Scale on industry strategy several times.