Comparison of documentation generators

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The following tables compare general and technical information for a number of documentation generators. Please see the individual products' articles for further information. This article is not all-inclusive or necessarily up-to-date. Unless otherwise specified in footnotes, comparisons are based on the stable versions without any add-ons, extensions or external programs.

1 General information
2 Operating system support
3 Language support
4 Input formats
5 Output formats
6 Other features

[edit] General information

Basic general information about the generators: creator/company, license/price etc.

Name	Creator	First public release date	Latest stable version	Cost (USD)	Software license
Autoduck	Eric Artzt	1993	2.0	Free	Freeware
BI Documenter URL	Mienasoft	2006	1.5	From $195	Proprietary
DB Manual URL	Blue Oceans Ltd	2006	1.3	from $99	Proprietary
DBScribe URL	Leadum Software	2007	1.1	from $39	Proprietary
classdoc	Jens Gulden	2001	1.0	Free	GPL
CppDoc	Richard Feit	November 23, 1998	2.3.1	Free	Proprietary
Ddoc	Walter Bright	September 19, 2005	DMD 1.010 / GDC 0.14	Free	Freeware / GPL
Doc-O-Matic	toolsfactory software inc	Nov. 2000	6.1	from US$299, Free Express Edition	Proprietary
DOC++	Dragos Acostachioaie.	December 22, 2002	3.4.10	Free	?
Document! X	Innovasys	1998	5.2.1.3	from US$599	Proprietary
Doxygen	Dimitri van Heesch	1997	1.5.5	Free	GPL
Epydoc	Edward Loper	January 2002	2.1	Free	MIT License
GenHelp URL	FraserSoft	Oct. 1998	5.6.7	from US$209	Proprietary
HeaderDoc	Apple Computer	?	8.6	Free	APSL
Help Generator URL	Agora Software BV	August 2004	4.0	US$299	Proprietary
Javadoc	Sun Microsystems	?	1.5	Free (Part of the Java 2 SDK)	Proprietary
JSDoc URL	Michael Mathews	July 2001	1.10.2	Free	GPL
JsDoc Toolkit URL	Michael Mathews	2007?	2.0.0	Free	MIT License
KDOC	Sirtaj Singh Kang	1999	3.0.1	Free	?
Natural Docs	Greg Valure	May 26, 2003	1.35	Free	GPL
NDoc	Kevin Downs	July 27, 2003	1.3.1	Free	GPL
phpDocumentor	Joshua Eichorn	2000	1.3.0	Free	LGPL
Project Analyzer	Aivosto Oy		8.0	From US$299	Proprietary
RDoc	Dave Thomas	December 14, 2001	in Ruby core	Free	Ruby License
ROBODoc	Frans Slothouber	January 19, 1995	4.99.36	Free	GPL
SandCastle	Microsoft	?	June 2007 CTP	Free	Proprietary
TwinText	PTLogica	2002	2008.0.406	US$169	Proprietary
VBDOX URL	Mihayl Stamenov	October 26, 2001	2.1.0	Free	GPL
VSdocman	Helixoft	Oct. 2000	2.21	from US$58	Proprietary
jGrouseDoc URL	Denis Riabtchik	Apr. 2007	1.5	Free	BSD
Haddock	Simon Marlow	2002	2.0.0.0 (2008)	Free	BSD
Universal Report URL	Universal Software	2001-2008	8.1	$299	Free Education / Proprietary
Name	Creator	First public release date	Latest stable version	Cost (USD)	Software license

[edit] Operating system support

The operating systems the generators can run on.

	Windows	Mac OS X	Linux	BSD	Unix
Autoduck	Yes	No	No	No	No
BI Documenter	Yes	No	No	No	No
DB Manual	Yes	No	No	No	No
DBScribe	Yes	No	No	No	No
classdoc	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
CppDoc	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
Ddoc	Yes	Yes³	Yes	Yes³	No
Doc-O-Matic	Yes	No	No	No	No
DOC++	Yes	No?	Yes	No?	No?
Document! X	Yes	No	No	No	No
Doxygen	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Epydoc	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
GenHelp	Yes	No	No	No	No
HeaderDoc	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Help Generator	Yes	No	No	No	No
Javadoc	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
JSDoc	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
JsDoc Toolkit	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
KDOC	Partial	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Natural Docs	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
NDoc	Yes	No	No	No	No
phpDocumentor	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Project Analyzer	Yes	No	No	No	No
RDoc	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
ROBODoc	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
SandCastle	Yes	No	No	No	No
TwinText	Yes	No	No	No	No
VBDOX	Yes	No	No	No	No
VSdocman	Yes	No	No	No	No
jGrouseDoc	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Haddock	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Universal Report	Yes	No	No	No	No
	Windows	Mac OS X	Linux	BSD	Unix

Note (4): GNU D Compiler.

[edit] Language support

The factual accuracy of this section is disputed.
Please see the relevant discussion on the talk page.(March 2008)

The programming languages the generators recognize.

	C/C++	Java	C#	VB / VBScript	Delphi / Pascal	Ada	D	IDL	.NET¹	Access
Autoduck	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
BI Documenter	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
DB Manual	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
DBScribe	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
classdoc	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
CppDoc	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Ddoc	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
Doc-O-Matic	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
DOC++	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
Document! X	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Doxygen	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Partial	Yes	No	No
Epydoc	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GenHelp	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No
HeaderDoc	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Help Generator	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Javadoc	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
JSDoc	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
JsDoc Toolkit	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
KDOC	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
Natural Docs	Partial	Partial	Yes	Partial	Partial	Partial	No	No	No	No
NDoc	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
phpDocumentor	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Project Analyzer	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
RDoc	Partial	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
ROBODoc	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
TwinText	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Partial	Yes	Yes	No
VBDOX	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
VSdocman	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
jGrouseDoc	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Haddock	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Universal Report	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
	C/C++	Java	C#	VB / VBScript	Delphi / Pascal	Ada	D	IDL	.NET¹	Access

	PHP	Perl	Python	Ruby	JavaScript	ActionScript	PL/SQL	Tcl	Haskell	Any With Comments²
Autoduck	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
BI Documenter	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
DB Manual	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
DBScribe	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
classdoc	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
CppDoc	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Ddoc	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Doc-O-Matic	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes
DOC++	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Document! X	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
Doxygen	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Epydoc	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GenHelp	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
HeaderDoc	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Javadoc	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
JSDoc	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
JsDoc Toolkit	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
KDOC	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Natural Docs	Partial	Yes	Partial	Partial	Partial	Yes	Partial	Partial	No	Yes
NDoc	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
phpDocumentor	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Project Analyzer	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
RDoc	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
ROBODoc	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Partial	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
TwinText	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
VBDOX	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
VSdocman	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
jGrouseDoc	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Haddock	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No
Universal Report	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes
	PHP	Perl	Python	Ruby	JavaScript	ActionScript	PL/SQL	Tcl	Haskell	Any With Comments²

Note (1): .NET is not a programming language, but is listed here for convenience.

Note (2): Generators listed here can be extended to support any language that has comments.

[edit] Input formats

The input formats the generators can read.

	Text	Binary
Autoduck	Yes	No
BI Documenter	No	Yes
DB Manual	No	Yes
DBScribe	No	Yes
classdoc	No	Yes
CppDoc	Yes	No
Ddoc	Yes	No
Doc-O-Matic	Yes	No
DOC++	Yes	No (except Java class files)
Document! X	Yes	Yes
Doxygen	Yes	No
Epydoc	Yes	No
GenHelp	Yes	No
HeaderDoc	Yes	No
Help Generator	Yes	Yes
Javadoc	Yes	No
JSDoc	Yes	(n/a)
JsDoc Toolkit	Yes	(n/a)
KDOC	Yes	No
Natural Docs	Yes	No
NDoc	No	Yes
phpDocumentor	Yes	No
Project Analyzer	Yes	Yes
RDoc	Yes	No
ROBODoc	Yes	No
TwinText	Yes	Yes
VBDOX	Yes	No
VSdocman	Yes	No
jGrouseDoc	Yes	No
Haddock	Yes	No
Universal Report	Yes	No
	Text	Binary

[edit] Output formats

The output formats the generators can write.

	HTML	CHM	RTF	PDF	LaTeX	PostScript	man pages	DocBook	XML
Autoduck	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
BI Documenter	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
DB Manual	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
DBScribe	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
classdoc	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
CppDoc	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Ddoc	Yes	Yes⁴	No	Yes⁴	Yes⁴	Yes⁴	Yes⁴	No	Yes⁴
Doc-O-Matic	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes
DOC++	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No
Document! X	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Doxygen	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Epydoc	Yes	No	No	Yes	Indirectly⁵	Indirectly⁵	No	No	No
GenHelp	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
HeaderDoc	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes
Help Generator	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
Javadoc	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
JSDoc	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	(planned)
JsDoc Toolkit	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes+JSON
KDOC	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Natural Docs	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
NDoc	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
phpDocumentor	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Project Analyzer	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
RDoc	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
ROBODoc	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
TwinText	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
VBDOX	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
VSdocman	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
jGrouseDoc	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
Haddock	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Partial	No
Universal Report	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
	HTML	CHM	RTF	PDF	LaTeX	PostScript	man pages	DocBook	XML

Note (4): Ddoc have macro system which can be customized to output any desired format. CHM, groff (manpages), XHTML, XML, LaTeX (so PostScript and PDF) was tested. They are not currently included in standard distribution. Standard HTML output also is generated using macros and can be redefined.

Note (5): Though not officially supported as an output format, Epydoc uses LaTeX and PostScript as intermediate steps to produce the final PDF documentation.

[edit] Other features

	possibility of extended customization	generated diagrams	highlighting and linking of generated doc	parameter types extracted
Autoduck
BI Documenter
DB Manual
DBScribe
classdoc
CppDoc
Ddoc	with macros
Doc-O-Matic	full customization for all output formats, template for MSDN and other lookalike output, custom XMLDoc/JavaDoc tags	local, module and global graphical class hierarchies, local text class hierarchies	fully cross linked project wide, automatic inter-project links, automatic links into framework documentation like MSDN, Borland/CodeGear Help	types extracted and linked
DOC++
Document! X	customizable HTML based templates, custom comment tags	linked graphical object relationship diagrams	internal links and links to .NET framework documentation	types extracted and linked
Doxygen	with XSLT	caller and callee graphs, dependency graphs, inheritance diagrams, collaboration diagrams
Epydoc
HeaderDoc
Help Generator
Javadoc
JSDoc				Yes
JsDoc Toolkit				Yes
KDOC
Natural Docs
NDoc
phpDocumentor	Smarty-based templates	class inheritance diagrams	cross reference to generated documentation, and to php.net function reference	Yes
Project Analyzer		File dependencies, inheritance, control flow, data flow, variable access, class instantiation, data declaration, Form.Show order, procedure calls, project dependencies, file belongs to project, class cohesion.	Cross-referenced source code
RDoc
ROBODoc
TwinText	20 CSS styles. Well documented CSS facilitates customization.	ASCII diagramming and picture importing.	Table of Contents, Index, and per-page cross referencing.	Method/Function parameters extracted and linked.
VBDOX
VSdocman
jGrouseDoc	With XSLT		cross reference to generated documentation	Yes
Haddock			Yes	Yes
Universal Report	customizable HTML based templates, custom comment tags	linked graphical object relationship diagrams	internal links between routines and objects	data types extracted and linked
	possibility of extended customization	generated diagrams	highlighting and linking of generated doc	parameter types extracted