Like swagger/swashbuckle but for node.js? - express

Question

Is there any tool for node express where you can automatically generate swagger documentation for an existing project? Similar to swashbuckle?

Answer 1

I've been looking into this as well, the project which will help you is swagger-node-express. swagger-ui, should come as a dependency of swagger-node-express. Swagger-node-express wraps express and exposes it as a new interface meaning there will be code changes you to make it work. This is what a route would look like (taken from their docs)
var findById = {
'spec': {
"description" : "Operations about pets",
"path" : "/pet.{format}/{petId}",
"notes" : "Returns a pet based on ID",
"summary" : "Find pet by ID",
"method": "GET",
"parameters" : [swagger.pathParam("petId", "ID of pet that needs to be fetched", "string")],
"type" : "Pet",
"errorResponses" : [swagger.errors.invalid('id'), swagger.errors.notFound('pet')],
"nickname" : "getPetById"
},
'action': function (req,res) {
if (!req.params.petId) {
throw swagger.errors.invalid('id');
}
var id = parseInt(req.params.petId);
var pet = petData.getPetById(id);
if (pet) {
res.send(JSON.stringify(pet));
} else {
throw swagger.errors.notFound('pet');
}
}
};
Where the type "Pet" is still for you to define, I wont rewrite their docs here.
This will then produce a file which swagger-ui can use to give you a self contained self documenting system. The documentation for swagger-node-express is more than good enough to get it setup (dont forget to set swagger path, I did).
swagger.configureSwaggerPaths("", "/docs", "");
Having shown you the tools that in theory offer what your asking for, let me explain why I've come to conclusion that I'm not going to use them.
A lot of code change needed - is it really less work than creating
your own swagger.yml file? I dont think so.
Hand creating a swagger.yml file is much less likely to brake your project.
Whilst swagger-node-express hasnt been depricated it's github repo doesnt exist anymore, its been wrapped into swagger-node, but that project doesnt really mention it
I'd be wary of any tool that means I need to wrap express - it's not something I'd look to do.
TL;DR:
It's possible with a lot of code change - probably not what your after though.