Sphinx vs TechWriter for Databases
Sphinx
sphinx-doc.orgTechWriter for Databases
techwriter.meSide by side
| Figure | Sphinx | TechWriter for Databases |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $49/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Documentation Generators | 8.2 (#7) | 7.6 (#20) |
| Founded | 2007 | 2005 |
| Output formats | Sphinx generates HTML, LaTeX for PDF, ePub, Texinfo and other documentation formats. | It can generate PDF, Compiled Help (CHM), Word/RTF, HTML, XPS and XML documentation. |
| Purpose | Sphinx generates technical documentation from structured text. | TechWriter for Databases uses database information to automatically produce reference documentation. |
| Support | The project directs users to Stack Overflow, GitHub Discussions, GitHub Issues, or the sphinx-users mailing list for questions and problem reports. | The maker lists support requests, product updates and online documentation, with the first 12 months of support included with a license purchase. |
Plans
TechWriter for Databases
- TechWriter for Databases$179, paid once
- TechWriter Complete subscription license$49 a month
In their own words
Sphinx
Sphinx is a free Python application that generates technical documentation from structured text. Authors can use reStructuredText or MyST Markdown; Markdown requires installing MyST-Parser separately. Built-in builders produce HTML, LaTeX for PDF, ePub, manual pages, Texinfo, and plain text. References can link sections, figures, tables, citations, glossaries, and code objects within one project or across projects. The autodoc extension imports documented modules and includes material from their docstrings. Themes and extensions, both built-in and third-party, add options such as diagrams, doctests, and API documentation. Other built-in extensions provide GitHub Pages publishing, Graphviz graphs, and intersphinx links. Sphinx also supports gettext-based translation and full-text search. It can be installed through Python and platform package managers, Docker, or from source, then deployed to services such as Read the Docs, GitHub Pages, GitLab Pages, Netlify, or self-hosted servers. Its code is released under the two-clause BSD license, and the project is community supported.
TechWriter for Databases
TechWriter for Databases has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.