Good documentation separates great engineering teams from chaotic ones. The right tool makes it easy to write, find, and maintain technical docs. We evaluated tools specifically for developer documentation needs: code snippets, API docs, and technical wikis.
| Tool | Starting Price | Best For | Self-Hosted | Code Focus | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notion | Free/$8 | General wiki | No | Good | 9.3/10 |
| Confluence | $5.75/user | Enterprise | DC version | Basic | 8.5/10 |
| GitBook | Free/$8 | Public docs | No | Excellent | 9.1/10 |
| Docusaurus | Free | OSS docs | Yes | Excellent | 9.0/10 |
| Readme | $99/mo | API docs | No | Excellent | 8.9/10 |
| Slite | Free/$8 | Simple wiki | No | Basic | 8.6/10 |
| Archbee | Free/$10 | Developer docs | No | Excellent | 8.8/10 |
| Mintlify | Free/$150 | Beautiful docs | No | Excellent | 8.7/10 |
| Outline | Free/$10 | Self-hosted | Yes | Good | 8.5/10 |
| Swimm | Free | Code docs | No | Excellent | 8.4/10 |
Notion is the most flexible wiki for engineering teams. Code blocks with syntax highlighting, databases for tracking, and easy collaboration. The template gallery accelerates setup.
Confluence is the enterprise standard, especially for Jira users. Spaces organize documentation, macros extend functionality, and it scales to large organizations. Less loved but widely used.
GitBook produces beautiful documentation with Git-backed version control. Perfect for public-facing developer docs. The editor is pleasant and the output is professional.
Docusaurus (by Meta) is the go-to for open source documentation. React-based, versioned docs, MDX support, and highly customizable. Free and self-hosted.
Readme specializes in API documentation with interactive "Try It" functionality. The developer hub combines docs, API reference, and changelog. Premium but polished.
Slite offers a lightweight, fast wiki with AI-powered search. Less feature-rich than Notion but easier to adopt. Good for teams wanting simplicity over flexibility.
Archbee is built specifically for developer documentation. Diagram support, API documentation, and code-focused features. A good Notion alternative for engineering teams.
Mintlify produces stunningly beautiful documentation sites. MDX-based, AI features, and modern design. The output looks better than most alternatives.
Outline is an open source wiki you can self-host. Clean interface, good search, and privacy-friendly. Great option for teams with data sovereignty requirements.
Swimm takes a unique approach: documentation lives alongside code and auto-updates when code changes. IDE integration means docs stay current.
We evaluated tools for developer-specific documentation needs.
Notion is more flexible and modern. Confluence is better for large enterprises and Jira integration. Most teams prefer Notion unless they need Atlassian integration.
Docusaurus if you can self-host. Notion free tier for small teams. GitBook free tier for public docs.
Make docs part of code review process. Tools like Swimm auto-sync with code. Regular documentation sprints help.
