# Doc generation

**Source:** https://promtable.com/glossary/doc-generation

> Doc generation is the LLM-driven workflow of producing API references, SDK pages, code examples, or product docs from structured sources (OpenAPI specs, code annotations, repo content) — Fern, Mintlify SDK, ReadMe, Stainless are 2026 implementations.

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Doc generation is the LLM-driven workflow of producing API references, SDK pages, code examples, or product docs from structured sources (OpenAPI specs, code annotations, repo content) — Fern, Mintlify SDK, ReadMe, Stainless are 2026 implementations.

Manual API docs decay: every code change risks orphaned doc pages. Doc generation flips this: docs are derived from source (OpenAPI spec → reference, JSDoc → method docs, examples folder → quickstart). LLM adds: prose polishing (raw OpenAPI is robotic; LLM rewrites into reader-friendly prose), code-example generation (auto-create Python / TypeScript / Go calls for each endpoint), version diff narratives (LLM compares two OpenAPI versions, drafts the changelog). Tools: Fern generates SDKs + docs from OpenAPI; Stainless does SDK gen; Mintlify SDK generates Python / TS / Go SDKs; Speakeasy similar. Trade-offs: generated copy can be bland, need human polish on landing + concepts.

## When to use

- API-first products.
- Multi-language SDK shops.

## Common mistakes

- Shipping pure auto-generated docs without prose — feels like a vendor spec sheet.
- Skipping changelog narratives — users miss what changed.

## Related terms

- [ai-docs](https://promtable.com/glossary/ai-docs)
- [swe-bench](https://promtable.com/glossary/swe-bench)

*Last updated: 2026-06-01*
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Original page: https://promtable.com/glossary/doc-generation
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