In simple English
This tool turns a plain text list of your server rules into a clean website. Other programmers or clients can read what your server does and try sending test messages right from their browser. You feed it a standard file that describes your API (an application programming interface, which is a set of rules for how different software programs talk to each other). It builds the buttons, forms, and tables automatically. It costs nothing to run, and you can host it yourself inside your existing project.
What it is
A collection of HTML, JavaScript, and CSS files that generate interactive documentation from an OpenAPI (a machine-readable format for describing REST APIs) specification file. It lets users view endpoints, check parameters, and send test requests directly in the browser.
What it is good for
Solo builders who need to share how their backend server works with other developers or test their own API endpoints without writing custom documentation pages.
- Turns text files into working web forms instantly without manual HTML work.
- Lets you test API calls right inside the browser with live data.
- Supports all recent versions of the OpenAPI specification.
- Requires Node.js and a package manager to build from source or integrate into modern apps.
- Bundle sizes can be large if you use the standalone distribution package.
- Sends anonymous installation telemetry through Scarf unless you explicitly disable it.
Writing manual HTML reference pages and test scripts for your API endpoints.
FastAPI or Express, which are frameworks used to build the backend server that Swagger UI documents.
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npm install swagger-ui-dist