Doxygen – generate documentation from source code

Doxygen is a source code documentation generator used to produce API references and technical manuals for software projects. Its principal focus is C and C++, although it also understands several other programming languages, including Java, Python, Objective-C, PHP and Fortran.

The application extracts information from source declarations and specially formatted comments. Developers can use its documentation commands to describe the purpose of software components, while Doxygen builds the relationships between them into a navigable reference.

Doxygen is especially useful for projects with complex class hierarchies or extensive interfaces. It can describe both documented and undocumented code, making it valuable for exploring unfamiliar software as well as publishing formal API documentation. Its support for several output formats allows the same source material to be used for online and offline reference manuals.

This is free and open source software.

Key Features

• Documents files, namespaces, packages, classes, structures, functions, variables, templates, enumerations and macros.
• Produces HTML, LaTeX, RTF, XML and Unix manual-page documentation.
• Generates class hierarchies, inheritance diagrams and collaboration diagrams.
• Graphviz integration adds call graphs, caller graphs, include dependencies and directory relationships.
• Recognises documentation comments using Doxygen, Javadoc and Qt-style conventions.
• Supports Markdown formatting, embedded images, tables, equations and source-code examples.
• Creates automatic cross-references between declarations, definitions and documented entities.
• Includes a searchable index for locating classes, functions and other documented members.
• Can display source code with syntax highlighting and links to associated documentation.
• Configuration options control which program elements are documented and how output is generated.
• Cross-platform support – runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Website: www.doxygen.nl
Support:
Developer: Dimitri van Heesch
License: GNU General Public License v2.0

Doxygen is written in C++. Learn C++ with our recommended free books and free tutorials.

Related Software

Read our verdict in the software roundup.

LinuxLinks helps you discover the best free and open source software for Linux. Explore our extensive collection of recommended applications, including alternatives to popular proprietary software. We also publish software reviews, Linux tutorials, hardware reviews, free programming books and articles covering the wider open source community. Browse our Linux resources to discover more. Know a useful free and open source Linux application we haven't covered? Suggest a program for inclusion. Has your software been featured on LinuxLinks? Display one of our Featured on LinuxLinks badges on your website or GitHub README.