If you're working with APIs, you’ve probably encountered SwaggerHub—a popular tool for designing and documenting OpenAPI specifications. While it's widely used, SwaggerHub may not always be the best fit for everyone. Whether you're looking for a more modern interface, faster performance, or better integration options, there are some excellent alternatives out there.

Here are three SwaggerHub alternatives to consider.

#1. API-Fiddle: A Modern, Faster Approach

API-Fiddle focuses on offering a sleek and modern UI with an emphasis on speed and usability, making it an excellent choice for developers aiming to design OpenAPI files more efficiently.

#Key Advantages:

• Modern UI: API-Fiddle stands out with a clean and intuitive design, which makes navigating and editing OpenAPI files a breeze.
• Speed: Unlike SwaggerHub, where the interface can feel slow and cluttered, API-Fiddle is significantly faster in handling the entire OpenAPI design process.
• Opinionated Design: One of the standout features is API-Fiddle’s opinionated nature. It encourages best practices, ensuring your OpenAPI files are not just correct, but also optimized for tools that use them, such as API documentation generators and SDK builders.
• Fast Evolution: API-Fiddle is continuously evolving, with frequent updates and feature improvements, keeping it on the cutting edge of API design.
• Free GitHub Integration: A major benefit is its built-in integration with GitHub at no extra cost, allowing you to seamlessly sync and manage OpenAPI files across repositories.

Overall, API-Fiddle is an excellent alternative if you're looking for a tool that enhances both speed and quality, particularly when building professional-grade OpenAPI files.

#2. Stoplight: A Strong Contender with Big Company Backing

Stoplight is another great alternative, offering a robust feature set for OpenAPI design and documentation. Like SwaggerHub, it provides a visual editor, collaboration features, and integration capabilities. However, one thing to note is that Stoplight is owned by SmartBear, the same company behind SwaggerHub.

#Key Features:

• Visual Editor: Stoplight’s visual editor is intuitive, making it easier for teams to collaborate on API designs without needing to manually edit JSON or YAML.
• Collaboration Tools: It provides built-in tools for collaboration, similar to SwaggerHub, which makes it easier for teams to review, comment, and approve OpenAPI designs.
• Design-first Approach: Stoplight encourages a design-first mindset, ensuring that your APIs are well thought out before any code is written.

#How It Compares:

While Stoplight provides many features similar to SwaggerHub, including a design-first approach and robust collaboration features, it doesn’t break free from the SmartBear ecosystem. This means it can feel like more of the same, with fewer innovations. Additionally, Stoplight offers little help when designing OpenAPI files. While many OpenAPI features are available, it is up to the user to decide which to implement.

#3. Postman: More Than Just API Testing

While Postman is often associated with API testing, it also offers an impressive OpenAPI editing and documentation toolset, making it a viable alternative to SwaggerHub. Postman’s all-in-one approach combines API design, testing, and monitoring into a single platform.

#Key Features:

• Comprehensive API Management: Postman provides a suite of tools for not just designing APIs, but also testing, documenting, and monitoring them in one place.
• Collaboration Across Teams: Much like SwaggerHub, Postman offers strong collaboration features, allowing teams to work together on API specifications and easily share them across departments.
• OpenAPI Support: Postman allows you to import and edit OpenAPI specifications directly in its interface, making it a flexible option for API design.

#How It Compares:

Postman shines in its versatility, but it’s not as specialized for OpenAPI design as tools like API-Fiddle or Stoplight. While it’s perfect for teams who need an all-in-one solution, developers looking for a streamlined experience focused exclusively on OpenAPI design may find Postman’s interface to be overkill for their specific needs.