Side by side
RDoc vs TypeDoc
Both stand on documentation generators. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxSelf-hosted
Choose RDoc if your Ruby project needs generated HTML and command-line documentation, with source coverage reporting and a local preview. Look elsewhere if you need a preview server with HTTPS or HTTP/2; RDoc’s server is intended only for local development.
Visit RDoc Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted
Choose TypeDoc if you need free generation of TypeScript documentation from code comments, with built-in HTML and JSON output and a plugin API. Look elsewhere if Markdown output without a plugin is essential. Avoid a global installation when plugins or themes need to work with the same TypeDoc installation.
Visit TypeDocThe facts
| RDoc | TypeDoc | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Self-hosted | API, Linux, Self-hosted |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | ruby.github.io | typedoc.org |
| On documentation generators | #17 of 37 | #21 of 37 |
RDoc: what it does well
- Generates HTML and command-line documentation for Ruby projects.
- Processes Ruby, C, RBS, and multiple markup formats.
- Local preview refreshes when watched source files change.
- Coverage reports can include parameter names.
- Generation can run through Rake or the RDoc API.
What to know first
- The preview server is for local use and has no HTTPS or HTTP/2.
- The current gem requires Ruby 3.2.0 or newer.
- Darkfish is deprecated and planned for removal in v9.0.
TypeDoc: what it does well
- Generates HTML and JSON documentation from TypeScript comments.
- Follows re-exports when documenting project members.
- Supports TSDoc, JSDoc, Markdown comments and syntax highlighting.
- Plugins can add themes and alter conversion or display.
- Can combine npm monorepo package documentation into one site.
What to know first
- Markdown output requires a plugin.
- Global installation can cause plugins or themes to use a separate TypeDoc installation and break.
- The tool requires Node.js.