phpDocumentor vs Redocly

phpDocumentor is a free, open-source, self-hosted tool for analyzing PHP source code and DocBlock comments to produce API documentation. It can generate UML diagrams, parse Markdown and reStructuredText, and insert API-documentation sections into reStructuredText material. The site says full-text search works offline and describes CI integration through a GitHub Action or Docker image. Installation options include Docker, Phive, and a PHAR file; standalone installation requires PHP 8.1.2 or newer plus mbstring, while PlantUML is optional. The official Docker image supplies dependencies locally. The project also offers Composer-installable components for parsing, rendering, type resolution, and PHP reflection. It runs on Linux and macOS. Its Docker Hub overview does not actively support direct Composer installation because dependency conflicts may occur. No paid plans are listed; the plan costs nothing.

Redocly is an API documentation and governance suite for teams creating, maintaining, and monitoring API experiences. Redoc generates reference documentation from OpenAPI definitions, with automatic code samples, mock servers, and interactive testing through Replay. Reunite supports collaborative editing, visual reviews, remote content, and deployment previews with an audit trail; it connects to GitHub, GitLab, Azure DevOps, or Redocly’s native Git solution. The open-source CLI validates, lints, and bundles OpenAPI definitions, while the VS Code extension helps write and maintain them and flags definition errors. Reef provides a searchable internal API catalog with metadata, scorecards, and discovery features. Respect monitors APIs against an OpenAPI specification and can send alerts through Slack or email. Redocly lists web, API, and extension platforms, custom domains, and content analytics. It says data is encrypted in transit and at rest and reports a completed SOC 2 Type II audit. Pro costs $10.00 per seat/month, billed monthly, and includes one project and 100 pages. API docs can be launched for free, and the full suite has a 30-day trial.