dotnet-api-docs
dotnet-api-docs
API documentation generation for .NET projects: DocFX setup for API reference from assemblies (docfx.json configuration, metadata extraction, template customization, cross-referencing), OpenAPI spec as living API documentation (Scalar and Swagger UI embedding, versioned OpenAPI documents), documentation-code synchronization (CI validation with -warnaserror:CS1591, broken link detection, automated doc builds on PR), API changelog patterns (breaking change documentation, migration guides, deprecated API tracking), and versioned API documentation (version selectors, multi-version maintenance, URL patterns).
Version assumptions: DocFX v2.x (community-maintained). OpenAPI 3.x via Microsoft.AspNetCore.OpenApi (.NET 9+ built-in). Scalar UI for modern OpenAPI visualization. .NET 8.0+ baseline for code examples.
Scope boundary: This skill owns API documentation generation from code -- the tooling and processes that turn source code, XML comments, and OpenAPI specs into browsable documentation. XML documentation comment syntax and authoring conventions are owned by [skill:dotnet-xml-docs]. OpenAPI specification generation and Swashbuckle migration are owned by [skill:dotnet-openapi]. CI/CD deployment of documentation sites is owned by [skill:dotnet-gha-deploy]. Documentation platform selection (Starlight vs DocFX vs Docusaurus) is owned by [skill:dotnet-documentation-strategy].
Out of scope: XML documentation comment syntax and authoring -- see [skill:dotnet-xml-docs]. OpenAPI spec generation and configuration (Swashbuckle, Microsoft.AspNetCore.OpenApi setup) -- see [skill:dotnet-openapi]. CI/CD deployment pipelines for documentation sites -- see [skill:dotnet-gha-deploy]. Documentation platform selection and initial setup -- see [skill:dotnet-documentation-strategy]. Changelog generation tooling and SemVer versioning -- see [skill:dotnet-release-management].
Cross-references: [skill:dotnet-xml-docs] for XML doc comment authoring, [skill:dotnet-openapi] for OpenAPI generation, [skill:dotnet-gha-deploy] for doc site deployment pipelines, [skill:dotnet-documentation-strategy] for platform selection, [skill:dotnet-release-management] for changelog tooling and versioning.
DocFX Setup for .NET API Reference
DocFX generates API reference documentation directly from .NET assemblies and XML documentation comments. It is the only documentation tool with native docfx metadata extraction from .NET projects.
Installation
More from wshaddix/dotnet-skills
csharp-wolverinefx
Build .NET applications with WolverineFX for messaging, HTTP services, and event sourcing. Use when implementing command handlers, message handlers, HTTP endpoints with WolverineFx.HTTP, transactional outbox patterns, event sourcing with Marten, CQRS architectures, cascading messages, batch message processing, or configuring transports like RabbitMQ, Azure Service Bus, or Amazon SQS.
374modern-csharp-coding-standards
Write modern, high-performance C# code using records, pattern matching, value objects, async/await, Span<T>/Memory<T>, and best-practice API design patterns. Emphasizes functional-style programming with C# 12+ features. Use when writing new C# code or refactoring existing code, designing public APIs for libraries or services, optimizing performance-critical code paths, or building async/await-heavy applications.
364logging-observability
Production-grade logging and observability patterns for ASP.NET Core Razor Pages. Covers structured logging with Serilog, correlation IDs, health checks, request logging, OpenTelemetry integration, and diagnostic best practices. Use when setting up structured logging in ASP.NET Core applications, implementing distributed tracing with OpenTelemetry, or configuring health checks and observability.
357testcontainers
Patterns for using Testcontainers in .NET integration tests to spin up real dependencies like databases and message queues. Use when writing integration tests that require real databases, testing with message brokers like RabbitMQ or Kafka, or isolating test dependencies with Docker containers.
357microsoft-extensions-dependency-injection
Dependency injection patterns and best practices using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection for .NET applications. Use when configuring DI containers in .NET, choosing between service lifetimes (Singleton, Scoped, Transient), or implementing decorator patterns and service interception.
354project-structure
Guidelines for organizing .NET projects, including solution structure, project references, folder conventions, .slnx format, centralized build properties, and central package management. Use when setting up a new .NET solution with modern best practices, configuring centralized build properties across multiple projects, implementing central package version management, or setting up SourceLink for debugging.
352