How to Use Apidog for gRPC API Documentation and Testing

gRPC is a powerful framework for building efficient APIs, but documenting and testing gRPC services can be challenging. Apidog simplifies this process by allowing you to:

Generate Markdown documentation from .proto files

Host and share gRPC API documentation

Debug gRPC APIs interactively

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to use Apidog for gRPC API documentation and testing.

Here is an example of an gRPC written in Apidog:

Protocol Documentation

Step 1: Write a `.proto` File with Documentation

Start by defining your gRPC service in a .proto file with clear comments.

Example: `greeter.proto`

Step 2: Debug gRPC APIs Using Apidog

Apidog is a powerful tool for debugging gRPC APIs, facilitating efficient communication in microservices architectures. Below are the key steps to debug gRPC APIs using Apidog:

Create a gRPC Project: On the Apidog homepage, click "New Project" and select "gRPC Project (Beta)."

Import Proto Files: Since gRPC follows an API-first approach, you must first import the .proto file defining the API. Apidog supports local files or URLs for import and allows adding dependency directories. If the .proto file is updated, you can reimport it by right-clicking.

Invocation Methods: Apidog supports four gRPC call types:

Unary: Similar to HTTP requests—enter the URL and JSON-formatted message content to invoke.

Streaming (server, client, or bidirectional): Like WebSocket, enabling real-time message exchange with a timeline view for tracking sent and received messages.

Advanced Features:

Auto-generate Dynamic Values: Automatically generate message bodies or configure dynamic data.

Use Variables: Employ environment variables in messages and Metadata.

Enable TLS: Secure connections via the protocol selector or grpcs:// URL.

Manage Server Addresses: Add frequently used server addresses to environment variables for centralized management.

View Proto Files and Parameters: Apidog allows you to inspect the raw .proto file content and displays request/response parameters in JSON format for easier debugging.

Save Debugging Data: After debugging, save the server URL, messages, and Metadata for team collaboration.
With its intuitive interface and robust features, Apidog is an excellent tool for debugging gRPC APIs, especially in scenarios requiring high-performance communication and complex data handling.

Learn more about debugging gRPC APIs in Apidog

Step 3: Generate Markdown Documentation

Use protoc-gen-doc to convert .proto files into Markdown.

Install `protoc-gen-doc`

Generate Documentation

Sample Output (`greeter.md`)

Step 4: Host Documentation in Apidog

Create a new HTTP project not gRPC project, because only HTTP projects support Markdown.

Create a new Markdown and paste the content directly.

Publish the documentation for team access.

Benefits of Using Apidog for Documentation

Version control (keep track of API changes).

Team collaboration (commenting, sharing).

Conclusion

Apidog streamlines gRPC API workflows by:
✅ Generating clean Markdown docs from .proto files.
✅ Hosting and sharing API documentation with teams.
✅ Providing an interactive gRPC debugger.

Whether you’re documenting internal APIs or building public-facing services, Apidog makes gRPC development faster and more collaborative.

How to Use Apidog for gRPC API Documentation and Testing

Step 1: Write a .proto File with Documentation#

Example: greeter.proto#

Step 2: Debug gRPC APIs Using Apidog#

Step 3: Generate Markdown Documentation#

Install protoc-gen-doc#

Generate Documentation#

Sample Output (greeter.md)#

Step 4: Host Documentation in Apidog#

Benefits of Using Apidog for Documentation#

Conclusion#

Further Reading#