In September 1999, the Mars Climate Orbiter burned up upon entering the Red Planet’s atmosphere. Poor software and technical documentation practices were the culprits. The system failed to convert measurements from imperial units to metric units, resulting in a $125 million loss for NASA and a seven-year delay in studying Mars’ climate.
The fallout from poor software and technical documentation isn’t this dramatic every day, but small-scale versions of these failures are all too common. Knowledge is often assumed. As long as executable code is written, design details are commonly overlooked.
In many cases, this failure to share important information occurs because developers lack the right applications for the job. Software documentation tools streamline information sharing and limit user errors or coding bugs. Read on to explore key types of software documentation and the best tools for the job.
Types of software documentation
Technical documentation takes many forms, and the specific type depends on the intended audience. The most common types of software documentation fall into four categories.
Developer documentation
Technical documentation for developers aims to provide a shared knowledge base for everyone involved in building software code. This might include:
- Release notes
- Source code with inline comments
- Detailed descriptions of the software’s architecture.
Developer documentation can also cover application programming interface (API) integration or database structure and outline the processes involved in development, software testing, and code review.
Software developers with these resources collaborate more effectively and help the entire team avoid assumptions about the functionality of the software or the code behind it.
Project documentation
Project documentation outlines practically every aspect of a software project:
- Timelines, milestones, and deliverables
- Key roles and responsibilities on the team
- Critical requirements the finished software product must fulfill
Other cataloged details may include meeting minutes, technical notes, and risk analyses. While this internal documentation is primarily for developers, it’s also useful for others who need to know how the software is progressing or provide input.
Marketing and sales documentation
Marketing materials aren’t concerned with software code or the development process. Rather, they target the application’s end-user appeal and functionality—providing high-level descriptions of product features and outlining key user benefits. They might include datasheets highlighting key technical details and explaining their significance.
Case studies or white papers also serve as helpful tools for marketing and sales teams. These sales documents spotlight customer stories and explain real-world scenarios, which can guide conversations with prospects.
Marketing and sales documentation isn’t limited to written instructions. Brief product demo videos, technical walkthroughs, or interactive feature overviews may provide more effective, memorable explanations for prospect-facing teams. Teams using a screen capture tool like Loom can easily produce these informative resources for sales prospecting, video marketing content, and more.
End-user documentation
Anyone who has used an application is familiar with end-user documentation. These are the user manuals, installation guides, and help files designed to improve the user experience in a few ways:
- Detailing key product features
- Walking through important how-tos
- Offering general operating instructions
User manuals can also come in the form of online wikis designed to enhance collaboration among those using software applications. These are especially common in open-source programming, where the line between developer and end-user is frequently blurred.
Whatever the type of documentation your development team is doing, having the proper collaborative software tools on hand will drastically improve the process and results.
8 best software documentation tools for 2025
The best modern documentation tools work for a wide range of document types, have a minimal learning curve, and are effective tools for remote teams or in-person collaboration.
Here are eight top choices across four categories:
Code documentation tools
Code documentation is a critical—but often overlooked—aspect of the development process. Developers tend to assume the code speaks for itself or simply don’t want to bother with the extra time and hassle of adding documentation.
To combat this, the right code documentation applications should simplify sharing technical notes for codebases. The best tools make it easy to write documentation and share notes in clean, readable formats across multiple devices.
1. GitHub
GitHub makes it easy to store code and documentation all in one place and edit in plain text or Markdown, a widely popular, nontechnical markup language for simple text formatting.
Features:
- Markdown formatting: Get Markdown support for README files, comments, issues, pull requests, and more.
- Multi-page wikis: Use built-in wikis as hubs for sharing notes on code, architecture, design, and more.
- Code annotations: Explain code quickly and easily with line-by-line annotations.
- GitHub discussions: Simplify project communication and collaboration with GitHub’s built-in discussion forum.
Pros:
- Comprehensive Markdown support
- Ability to automate many documentation-related tasks
- Straightforward, built-in collaborative features
Cons:
- Less support for rich-text formatting
- Steep learning curve for beginners
- Limited security features
Pricing: GitHub’s basic features are free. The team version costs $4 per user per month.
2. Confluence
Confluence, an Atlassian product, is an incredibly versatile collaboration tool that can be used as a coworking space or company wiki. It’s also a nimble option for software documentation.
Features:
- WYSIWYG editor: Add rich text, tables, macros, and more right within the editor.
- Templates: Create documentation spaces from the built-in templates, then quickly add pages with designated permissions for collaboration.
- Streamlined document creation: Reuse content to quickly create the latest version release notes. Use built-in macros to embed dynamic content or call out specific sections of code.
- Inline feedback: Quickly comment on code inline for clarification.
Pros:
- WYSIWYG editing for simplified, dynamic documentation
- Well-organized page hierarchy
- Streamlined integration with other Atlassian products
Cons:
- More limited code formatting than other platforms
- Limited search functionality
- Less suitable for large documentation projects
Pricing: Confluence is free for up to 10 users. Paid plans with additional features start at $5.16 per user per month.
3. Jira
Another Atlassian tool, Jira is an outside-the-box solution for real-time collaboration on software documentation. Although it’s primarily a project management tool, Jira’s streamlined communication and collaboration features are also ideal for working on software applications.
Features:
- Collaboration through comments: Collaborate immediately on documentation projects via comments to discuss tickets, ask questions, and provide feedback.
- Confluence and Loom integration: Link Confluence pages to Jira issues and share Loom videos directly to create, organize, and access extensive documentation all within the Jira environment.
- Team integrations: Integrate with other collaborative software like Teams, Slack, and Zoom for real-time chats or video conferencing to address issues.
Pros:
- Discuss documentation items and tickets via comments and mentions
- Extend collaboration over Teams, Slack, or Zoom
- Easily embed Loom or other video links in comments
Cons:
- Limited documentation management features
- No real-time collaboration
- Not for non-technical users
Pricing: Jira’s basic features are free. Standard plans start at $7.53 per user per month.
API documentation tools
An application programming interface (API) is the crux of communication between various software tools, making it essential for developers to understand how to interact with it. API documentation provides detailed instructions on how to authenticate API requests, interact with different endpoints, and maintain backward compatibility, to name just a few features.
4. Swagger UI
One of the most popular tools for REST API documentation, Swagger UI is designed to streamline interactions with your API.
Features:
- Direct API integration: Interact directly with the API right from the documentation, testing API calls, sending requests, and viewing responses without leaving the browser.
- Quick updates: Automatically generate and update documentation immediately when changes are made to the API.
- Multilingual support: Work with multiple programming languages and the OpenAPI Specification.
- Detailed version control: Easily switch between API versions within the same UI.
Pros:
- Compatible with a variety of development ecosystems, including Open API
- Real-time synchronization between API and documentation updates
- Support for multiple authentication methods and programming languages
Cons:
- Not designed for non-RESTful APIs
- Customizable features can be cumbersome
- Limited Markdown support
Pricing: A basic version of Swagger UI is free, and team plans start at $29 per user per month.
5. Document360
Document360 is an AI-powered knowledge-base solution built for creating user guides and other extensive forms of online documentation.
Features:
- Markdown and WYSIWYG editors: Easily add links, images, videos, callouts, or code blocks directly.
- Multilingual support: Use the API documentation tool to generate code samples in various programming languages, from Python to Java.
- Test API endpoints directly: Experiment with endpoints right within the knowledge base with the “Try it!” option.
- Category management: Organize documentation into categories, subcategories, and sections with ease.
Pros:
- Fully customizable knowledge base
- Robust version control
- Advanced search features
Cons:
- Lacks more extensive testing features for APIs
- Requires third-party integrations
- Project-based pricing can get expensive
Pricing: Document360’s basic plan is free. Paid plans that include API documentation start at $199 per project per month.
Help authoring tools (HATs)
Creating help documents can be a challenge for developers, who are often more comfortable writing code than explaining it. HATs provide invaluable assistance, streamlining the process of creating help documentation in a variety of formats.
6. Adobe RoboHelp
Adobe RoboHelp is one of the simplest tools for creating well-designed and easy-to-follow user manuals and instructional documents.
Features:
- Intuitive user interface: Simplifiy the process of creating help documentation with RoboHelp’s drag-and-drop editor, complete with WYSIWYG interface.
- Multi-format publishing: Publish in HTML5, PDF, Word, and more to make help tools available on multiple devices.
- Automation options: Auto-generate code to publish a responsive site or mobile app to guide customers toward the right tutorials. AI-powered chatbots help you author documentation quickly.
- Dynamic content filtering: Filter content to display different sections or information based on differing user needs.
Pros:
- Seamless integration with Microsoft Word
- Built-in collaboration features with in-platform feedback
- Adaptable, responsive HTML5 output
Cons:
- Complex feature set can be overwhelming
- Relatively expensive
- Outdated UI
Pricing: Individual subscriptions to RoboHelp start at $39.99 a month.
7. MadCap Flare
MadCap Flare includes options for content management, single-source publishing, and conditional tagging, simplifying the creation of searchable content that gets to the right users.
Features:
- Extensive project management: Organize all relevant project documentation with a topic-based authoring structure that breaks material into accessible, reusable chunks.
- Single-source publishing: Quickly publish content across multiple formats from a single source document.
- Robust search features: Find what you need in a flash with advanced filters, synonym support, and keyword highlighting.
- Conditional content and filtering: Create and view content based on specific user needs, roles, and preferences.
Pros:
- Easily reuse content across projects
- Responsive HTML5 design
- Search and dynamic filters help streamline document management
Cons:
- Complex, outdated user interface
- Limited output customization for various formats
- Very expensive
Pricing: MadCap Flare starts at $195 per user per month, billed annually.
Screen recording and video collaboration tools
Sometimes, written documents aren’t the best vehicle for effective software documentation. That’s where nontraditional technical documentation tools come into play.
8. Loom
Videos can capture features and functionality more vividly than lengthy documents, making them an ideal choice for quick overviews or complex explanations with a visual element. This makes Loom an excellent addition to any developer’s documentation tool kit.
With Loom, simply click “Record” to show how application features are built. You can display them in action, provide context for investigating bugs, and explain code reviews.
Features:
- Asynchronous video recordings: Capture backend code and your face in a Loom screen recording as you talk through the intention behind the code. Recipients can watch the video at their own convenience.
- Easy editing: Quickly trim and dial in your video after recording.
- Quick sharing: Easily distribute quick coding updates, whether you’re remote pair programming or working with a team of developers.
- AI-powered: Use AI workflows to turn any Loom video into a written reference document.
Pros:
- Fast, effortless screen recording
- Share digestible video content instead of lengthy documents
- Share anywhere you work with extensive integrations
Cons:
- Videos lack the searchability of other content formats
- Not ideal for complex, detailed documentation processes
Pricing: Loom has a free plan. Paid plans start at $15 per user per month.
How to evaluate software documentation tools
Tools for software documentation come with a wide range of features, and they’re often customizable enough to suit various applications. When considering several options, evaluate potential software documentation tools based on the following key criteria:
- Rich-text editing and Markdown support: Flexible formatting provides documentation style versatility for both technical and non-technical team members.
- Version control systems: Team members should be able to track changes and restore previous versions of documents.
- Ease of organization: The best tools easily organize content into categories and topics and provide intuitive search functionality to make documents easy to find.
- Streamlined collaboration: Look for features that enable both synchronous and asynchronous communication, including options for comments and multi-user, real-time editing.
- Templates and customization options: Templates facilitate faster document creation, while customization allows your team to build a workspace that suits their needs.
- Integration with other tools: Documentation systems should seamlessly integrate with other critical developer tools, from project management software to Git repositories.
- Robust security: Single sign-on (SSO) and other user authentication methods, alongside standard encryption and backups, protect your organization from losing important documents.
Ultimately, your specific goals for technical documentation should shape your search for the right tools. While end-user documentation may benefit from searchable knowledge bases or no-code editors, instructions for internal developers require features like code snippet support or interactive API documentation.
Simplify software documentation with Loom
Top development teams rely on a range of tools for effective software documentation. Clear and current documentation is essential, whether you need to collaborate with teammates or support end-users.
Video brings a powerful visual component to your documentation library.
With Loom, you can quickly and intuitively create video-based documentation that complements or replaces traditional text-based guides. Features like screen recording and instant sharing are ideal for demonstrating software functionalities or processes in a visual, engaging format that saves your team time and effort.
Add Loom to your software documentation tool kit. Get started for free today.
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