Features Overview

When you’re just getting started with ReadMe, there’s a lot to learn! We’ve put together this features glossary for terms that are unique to our platform or might need a little explanation. To see which features are included in each ReadMe plan, head over to our Pricing page and check out that features chart.

If you have any suggestions on our features, please submit feedback on our feature requests here — you can also see what’s currently in the works 🚧

Admin Controls

FeatureDescription
AdminAdmins are users who have access to your ReadMe dashboard to edit documentation, etc. On non-Enterprise plans, invited users will have one of two roles: Project Owner or Project Admin.

On ReadMe’s Enterprise plan, Enterprise Group Admins have access to the parent dashboard that houses all child projects within the Enterprise Group, while Enterprise Project Admins only have dashboard access to certain child projects but not to the Enterprise Group dashboard.
Audit LogsYou can view the audit log for all your child projects by navigating to your parent project dash at dash.readme.io/group/yourParentGroup/logs. This is an Enterprise-only feature!
Multi-Project ManagementIf you have multiple APIs, want to support localized versions of your documentation, or have another use case for multiple ReadMe projects, our Enterprise plan allows you to centralize administration for multiple projects in one Enterprise Group. In this setup, multiple projects can share design customizations, have global search and navigation, and share other resources in one developer hub. This is an Enterprise-only feature!
Staging EnvironmentStaging provides a layer of protection for your live documentation. Preview updates from ReadMe and changes from your team before deploying to production. This is an Enterprise-only feature!

Access and Authentication

FeatureDescription
Custom AuthenticationUse your own OAuth to authenticate users.
Private Internal DocumentationSet your site to private using a site-wide password or ReadMe admin login.
OAuth 2.0 LoginTo allow your users to log in using custom authentication, it's possible to write custom OAuth code, with the final redirect using a JWT url to pass the user information to ReadMe. This is an Enterprise-only feature!
Set Up Custom Domain and SSLThe default subdomain for your ReadMe project is yoursite.readme.io. You can customize your domain and choose whatever feels the most on-brand for your site, for example docs.yoursite.com or devs.yourcompany.com. Keep your site secure with Cloudflare SSL certificates that are generated and maintained automatically.
Single Sign-On (SSO)ReadMe supports a variety of SAML 2.0-based SSO providers. This is an Enterprise-only feature!
User ConnectAutomatically log in your users when they visit your docs via JWT.
User Permission RolesUser permission roles enable administrators to assign various permissions levels to users so that it’s clear who has access—and what type of access—to their Enterprise Group dashboards, related child project dashboards, and/or related child project hubs. This is an Enterprise-only feature!

Documentation Page Types

FeatureDescription
API ReferenceThis is the part of your docs where your developers will interact with your API. You’ll first need to set up your API Settings in order for your reference section to work. You will want to create a new page in your reference for each HTTP endpoint in your API. Import an OpenAPI document and ReadMe will automatically generate the API setting and reference docs for you!
ChangelogAnnounce changes or edits to your API. Also allows for RSS updates.
Custom PagesCreate a full-width custom page for marketing or any other purpose you may need.
Discussion ForumsInclude a community-based forum for your API users to ask each other questions.
Global Landing PageConfigure a global docs portal or landing page for your Enterprise Group that your users can use to view and search all related child projects. This is an Enterprise-only feature!
GuidesGuides are like the instruction manual for your API: share tips on getting started, authentication details, or more context on what’s possible with your API. It’s easy to write content in markdown, add images, embed videos, create tables, and more.
Landing PageA home page for your docs, which can be fully customized.
RecipesRecipes are step-by-step code walkthroughs that allow you to walk developers through your most popular API use cases
Reusable ContentReusable Content allows ReadMe Admins to create blocks of Markdown content that can be used repeatedly across multiple pages in their docs. Plus, when an Admin edits the Reusable Content block, it automatically updates across every instance where it’s used.

Other Documentation Features

FeatureDescription
Documentation VersionsVersions allow you to edit your documentation before making it live, as well as host multiple versions of your docs in one developer hub if, for example, you have developers using different versions of your API. They can be marked as beta or deprecated.
Error RedirectsCreate custom error pages or generic 404 pages to display to your users if they try, for example, to access a broken link.
GlossaryDefine terms that may be specific to your API.
Landing PageA home page for your docs, which can be fully customized.
OpenAPI UploadBuild your API specifications using an OpenAPI file and import them to have your reference docs auto-generated.
SearchQuickly find the docs you need through our search, powered by Algolia. You can search across the entire project hub and sort by project sections (e.g. Guides, Reference, Discussions). On Enterprise plans, search will work across all projects unified under an Enterprise Group.
Suggested EditsSuggested edits are a way for your community to let you know when they think a doc is out of date or could be improved. This feature is only available on paid plans!
VariablesThe variables feature allows you to assign a specific variable (e.g. name) to automatically propagate default values, across all of your documentation. We recommend using this feature for product names and links to allow for simpler bulk editing. Additionally, you can use the Personalized Docs Webhook in combination with variables to pass in user data so that aspects of your documentation are personalized for logged in users, such as their name or API key.
PDF GenerationGenerate a PDF version of the Guides section of your project documentation. This is an Enterprise-only feature!

Design

FeatureDescription
Custom CSS & JavaScriptCustomize with CSS to make your developer hub match the look and feel of your brand. Use JS to build in extra features or customize your project pages to make them easier to use. Note that Custom CSS is limited to ReadMe’s Business plan and higher and Custom JavaScript is only available on ReadMe’s Enterprise plan.
Custom HTML in Header/FooterChange the HTML settings in the footer and header to create extra links to change the style to fit your needs.
Health CheckLink your docs to StatusPage and inform your users about your current API status.
Theme EditorCustomize the body color, theme, and logo of your documentation to make it feel more on-brand.
White LabelRemove the ReadMe logo and any mention of ReadMe from your site. This feature is only available on Business and Enterprise plans!

Developer Dashboard

FeatureDescription
My Developers & Doc MetricsData that gives you and your team insights into how your users are utilizing your docs, how your API is performing, and any potential error spikes. Plus, search for a particular user's logs by filtering based on their API key, email, or company.
Request HistoryGet a granular look at how customers are using your documents and API, from the content they access and the endpoints they hit, to the errors they encounter. You can see these charts and analytics from your project dashboard.
API LogsEvery ReadMe plan has access to up to 24 hours of API logs history and Try It data by default. To view your data over a longer period of time, you can purchase additional API logs. Pricing is based on API request log volume per month — basically, how much API request data you're sending to ReadMe each month. Try It request data does not count towards your logs limit.

Other Features

FeatureDescription
IntegrationsReadMe integrates with a variety of third-party solutions including Slack, Google Analytics, Zendesk, and Typekit.
LocalizationReadMe integrates with three localization services: Localize, Transifex, and Smartling! Integration with Transifex & Smartling is an Enterprise-only feature.