When working with Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), one often needs to generate various artifacts, including API Clients, Server Stubs, API Documentation generators and Configuration Files. In this article, we’ll cover five of the most widely-used tools to generate API SDKs, and outline their prominent features.
- Swagger-CodeGen
Swagger-CodeGen is the official SDK generator from Swagger. Launched in 2010 and currently at version 3.0, it supports Open API Specification versions 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0. Boasting support for more than 20 programming languages including C#, C++, Go, and Erlang, Swagger-CodeGen is quite versatile.
Features of Swagger-CodeGen involve selective Generation of APIs, bringing your own model, and mapping control.
Check out the Swagger-CodeGen tools here and here.
- AutoRest
Developed by the Microsoft Azure team, AutoRest is a client SDK generator that supports languages such as C#, PowerShell, Go, Java, Node.js, TypeScript, and Python. Primarily working with Open API specification version 2.0 and version 3.0, AutoRest features expandability with custom generators. It also generates client code for sync, async, long running, and paging operations.
You can find the AutoRest tool and customizing guide here and here.
- NSwag
NSwag is an Open API toolchain combining the power of Swashbuckle (Open API generator) and AutoRest (client generation) to reduce incompatibilities. Although limited to the .NET ecosystem, it supports several other platforms. It offers a GUI generator, called NSwagStudio, and includes HTML documentation with ReDoc integration.
- WebApiClientGen
WebApiClientGen is a C# and TypeScript-specific library designed to generate API client SDKs. Its comprehensive version, OpenApiClientGen, supports several other languages and is known for copying Doc comments of controller methods and PODCO classes. Its key benefits make it highly suited for the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
Further information on WebApiClientGen can be found here.
- APIMATIC
APIMATIC is a comperhensive API solution that offers developer portals, analytics, and SDK generation. Thought it is a commericial service, there is a a free two weeks trial. Read more on APIMATIC here.
Summary
A final comparison shows each of these tools have unique features and applications. They all serve the same purpose—to make the job of API development smoother, faster, and more efficient.
Deciding which tool to use largely depends on individual project requirements and the specific language support needed. Choose the one that best suits your API specifications and let the tool do the heavy lifting. Ensure that your API specs are top-notch to guarantee the most efficient generation of your API SDKs. Happy coding!
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