PureDocs is system for API documentation generation. It provides a system for pluggable language support and output support. The default preference is for ReStructured Text ouptut to a custom XML format which can then be transformed in to the desired XHTML, or other final form.

Why Another API Doc System?

A couple of reasons, first being that most api documentation generation systems prefer a single output format, without any options for intermediate forms. In addition, most use a method of regular expression matching to "guess" the syntax of languages they support. They also tend to prefer a specific set of keywords or declarations that are immutable, regardless of their relevence to the language in question.

PureDocs takes a much different approach, one that we think is much more flexible. Basically, PureDocs is designed around a stack of plugins, a plugin "chain". This chain can include parsers for languages based on MIME type, documentation parsers (Restructured Text, JavaDoc-compatible, etc), and post-processing plugins to arrange the output in a specific manner. PureDocs attempts to make no assumptions about input, instead leaving that up to the set of plugins chosen by a user. As a result, PureDocs should be flexibile enough to generate documentation for languages traditionally targeted such as C in addition to less traditional languages such as SQL.

What if I use [Other Doc System]?

PureDocs is designed so that plugins that parse and process your existing documentation system's keywords, declarations, etc, can easily be used along side the rest of the PureDocs system. If you enjoy your existing JavaDoc-style documentation, but would like PureDocs's flexibility in XML output, you would simply need to replace PureDocs's default Restructured Text plugin with a JavaDoc plugin in the plugin chain.

For more information on PureDocs plugins, the plugin chain, and what it all means for users, please see the documentation.

Great! Where can I get it?

You can't! We're still working on it. Check this space for updates.