Developer Portal Design

Documentation Structure

• Getting started guide (0 to first API call in 5 minutes)
• Authentication section (clear, with working examples)
• Endpoint reference (complete, searchable)
• Code examples in multiple languages
• Error reference (every error code explained)
• Changelog (what changed, when, migration notes)

API Reference

• Endpoint: method + path (GET /api/v1/users)
• Description: what it does in one sentence
• Parameters: name, type, required/optional, description
• Request example: complete, copy-paste ready
• Response example: with all fields annotated
• Error responses: every possible error
• Try it: interactive API console

Code Examples

• Multiple languages (min: cURL, Python, JavaScript)
• Complete and runnable (not snippets that need context)
• Copy button on every code block
• Syntax highlighting
• Show expected output

Design Principles

• Dark mode default (developers prefer it)
• Monospace font for code, sans-serif for prose
• Left sidebar navigation with search
• Full-page search with instant results
• Versioned docs (v1, v2 with selector)
• Print-friendly / export to PDF

Developer Experience

• Onboarding: signup → API key → first request in under 5 minutes
• Sandbox/test environment
• Rate limit dashboard
• Status page link (is the API up?)
• Support channels (GitHub issues, Discord, email)