Automatic API Documentation Using Connect the Docs in Elixir

Natalie Perpepaj and Geoff Smith presented a new Elixir library called Connect the Docs, which generates an OpenAPI specification by leveraging Phoenix controller action unit tests. The library aims to address the challenge of maintaining accurate and up-to-date API documentation for large codebases. By harnessing existing test suites and with minimal additional code - just three lines - a team can create consistent web API documentation. This tool streamlines the documentation process and ensures that API documentation remains in sync with the actual API contract, especially when integrated into a continuous integration platform. The speakers also discussed the rationale for API documentation, the common pitfalls of maintaining it, and how Connect the Docs harnesses the existing controller tests for generating OpenAPI specs. Additionally, they provided insights on the potential for further development in the library, such as plugable parsers for required parameters and features for dynamic description generation.