Use case · Updated
Keep API docs up to date
API reference is usually generated and current. The guides around it, authentication, pagination, webhooks, and error handling, are written by hand and drift. That is where developers get stuck, and where a chatbot is most likely to guess.
TL;DR
Short answer
To keep API docs up to date, the guides around the reference have to change when the code does. usedocs imports your OpenAPI file and guides, proposes an edit to the affected guide when a merged pull request changes an endpoint, drafts the articles developers ask for, and answers API questions with a link to the source.
Who this is for
API first SaaS companies and platforms whose customers integrate in code, with a small team that owns the API, the guides, and integration support. Typical shape: an OpenAPI file, a handful of guides, a GitHub repository, and integration questions arriving by email or in a community channel.
Problems this solves
- Guides show request examples for a parameter that was renamed.
- Webhook and error docs lag behind what the code actually sends.
- Developers ask the chatbot about an endpoint and get a confident guess.
- Integration questions repeat in email and never become guides.
- AI coding assistants learn your API from outdated pages.
How usedocs works for this job
Import the OpenAPI file usedocs creates articles from your OpenAPI file, next to guides imported from your docs URL, GitBook, or Notion.
Connect GitHub Merged pull requests and releases that change documented behavior propose edits to the affected guides, with the change attached.
Answer with sources The assistant answers developer questions with a link to the article and refuses when the docs do not cover the question.
Draft the missing guides Unanswered questions and imported tickets become ranked gaps with drafted articles.
What you get
Reference plus guides
OpenAPI import alongside hand written guides, in one help center.
Edits from merged PRs
Proposed changes to guides when the code behind them changes.
Honest answers
Sources on every answer and refusals when the match is weak.
AI tool access
MCP install for Cursor, Markdown copies, and llms.txt.
Private API docs
Limit partner or beta collections to signed-in readers.
Start with the four guides that matter
Most API questions land on authentication, pagination, webhooks, and errors. Import the OpenAPI file, then check those four guides against the code first. Connect GitHub so future changes to those areas propose edits automatically. For each of the four, add one complete, copyable example request and response; developers copy examples more than they read prose, and the assistant can point straight at them.
Test the assistant like a developer
Ask for a request that needs a specific header, the shape of a webhook payload, and what a particular error code means. Open each source. Then ask about an endpoint that does not exist and confirm it says so. Wrong answers usually point at a guide that is wrong; fix the guide and the answer follows. Repeat the test after each release for the endpoints that changed; the proposed edits tell you which ones those are.
Handle versions and deprecations
When a pull request deprecates a parameter, approve the proposed edit and keep a short note in the guide about the old name, since developers still search for it. Redirect retired articles to their replacements so old links keep working.
Give partners private docs
Put partner or beta endpoints in a collection limited to signed-in readers. Partners sign in with a magic link or your app's token, and those pages stay out of search, the sitemap, and llms.txt for everyone else.
Write errors as answers
Error pages are where integrations stall. For each common error code, write what it means, the most likely cause, and the fix, in that order. Developers paste error messages straight into the assistant and into search, so include the exact error text in the article. When a pull request changes an error message or adds a new code, usedocs proposes the edit to that page.
Track what developers ask
Integration questions are product feedback. The ranked gap list shows which parts of the API confuse people most, in their own words. A gap that keeps growing after you publish an article usually means the API itself is confusing, which is worth telling the team that owns it.
Why teams pick usedocs
- OpenAPI import as articles
- Guides updated from merged PRs
- MCP, Markdown copies, and llms.txt
- Private collections for partner docs
Not for you if
Skip this if you need an interactive API playground with live requests, SDK generation, or a docs-as-code portal maintained by a DX team. Keep those tools; usedocs focuses on accurate guides and answers.
FAQ
How do you keep API docs up to date?
An assistant that answers integration questions from your API reference and guides, ideally with a link to the source.
Can usedocs import our OpenAPI spec?
Yes. Import an OpenAPI file and usedocs creates articles from it.
How do guides stay current?
Merged pull requests and releases propose edits to the affected guides, and live articles are checked against the code on a schedule.
Does usedocs have an API playground?
No. Keep your playground; usedocs focuses on accurate guides and answers.
Can developers use our docs in Cursor?
Yes. The help center offers an MCP install for Cursor, plus Markdown copies and llms.txt.
Can partner docs stay private?
Yes. Limit a collection to signed-in readers with magic links, a shared password, or your app's token.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. A 7 day Growth trial with no card, then one plan at $99 a month.
Does usedocs check guides against the code?
Yes. Besides proposing edits from merged PRs, a scheduled check compares live articles with the code to catch drift.