Side by side
rustdoc 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.
rustdoc provides a free, Rust-focused path from source or Markdown to browsable documentation, with Cargo integration and testable examples. Its standalone-Markdown limitation and Windows build-tool requirement matter when planning installation or workflows.
Visit rustdocChoose 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
| rustdoc | TypeDoc | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Windows | API, Linux, Self-hosted |
| Lowest paid plan | Not published | Free or on request |
| Plans published | None | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | doc.rust-lang.org | typedoc.org |
| On documentation generators | #25 of 37 | #21 of 37 |
rustdoc: what it does well
- Included with the standard Rust distribution
- Generates HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
- Runs documentation examples as tests
- Supports private-item documentation options
- Available on Linux, macOS, and Windows
What to know first
- Cargo does not handle standalone Markdown files
- Cross-target output has usual cross-compilation caveats
- Windows requires MSVC build tools
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.
Alternatives to rustdoc Alternatives to TypeDoc The whole list