Buyer's guide

Developer portal software for API-first teams.

A developer portal is the package of docs + SDKs + dashboards + recipes your customers see when they integrate. This page walks the categories, the trade-offs, and how to scope a portal that doesn't lock you in.

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01Details

What a developer portal includes

01

Reference docs generated from OpenAPI.

02

SDK packages in the languages your customers use.

03

Auth and API key management.

04

Quickstarts, recipes, and changelog.

05

llms.txt for agent-readable docs.

06

Custom domain, redirects, sitemap.

02Details

Categories of tools

01

**SDK + docs combined** — Bloom, Fern, Stainless, Speakeasy. One workflow, two outputs.

02

**Docs-first hubs** — Mintlify, ReadMe, GitBook, Bump.sh, Redocly. Strong reference; SDKs are a separate tool.

03

**OpenAPI governance** — Spectral, Stoplight Studio. Linting and review more than hosting.

04

**Self-built portals** — Astro / Next.js + OpenAPI plugins. Maximum control, maximum maintenance.

03Details

How to decide

01

If SDK quality is on the critical path: combined SDK + docs.

02

If docs are the product and SDKs are optional: docs-first.

03

If you have a strong design system and engineering time: self-built.

04

If governance matters more than hosting: governance tools complement either choice.

04Details

What Bloom does in this category

01

Reads OpenAPI 3.0/3.1 + an optional generator config (e.g. stainless.yml).

02

Emits TypeScript and Python SDKs plus hosted reference docs.

03

Includes llms.txt, sitemap, JSON-LD, redirects as launch artifacts.

04

Ships a compatibility report that diffs the new SDK against the current SDK before publishing — Bloom-only in the category.