Scalar
Beautiful OpenAPI-based API reference documentation with a built-in API client — drop in a script tag or npm package to render stunning API docs.
Why Scalar?
Rendering OpenAPI/Swagger specs as beautiful, interactive documentation
Adding a Try It button to existing API docs without Postman's overhead
Replacing Swagger UI with a modern, themeable alternative
Signal Breakdown
What drives the Trust Score
Download Trend
Last 12 months
Tradeoffs & Caveats
Know before you commitTeams needing full test collections and CI automation — use Postman or Bruno
Non-OpenAPI APIs without a spec file to render
Pricing
Free tier & paid plans
Open source, free to use
Free & open-source
Alternative Tools
Other options worth considering
The world's most popular API platform — test, document, and collaborate on APIs with a desktop GUI, automated test collections, and mock servers.
Often Used Together
Complementary tools that pair well with Scalar
Learning Resources
Docs, videos, tutorials, and courses
Get Started
Repository and installation options
View on GitHub
github.com/scalar/scalar
npm install @scalar/api-referenceQuick Start
Copy and adapt to get going fast
import { apiReference } from '@scalar/api-reference';
// In a Next.js API route or Express server:
app.get('/docs', (req, res) => {
res.send(`
<!DOCTYPE html><html><head>
<title>API Reference</title>
</head><body>
<script id="api-reference" data-url="/openapi.json"></script>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@scalar/api-reference"></script>
</body></html>
`);
});Community Notes
Real experiences from developers who've used this tool