What is Stoplight?

Stoplight is an API design and documentation platform.

Instead of fighting with raw JSON or YAML, Stoplight gives you a visual editor.

And it has automated linting, and collaboration tools.

🚀 Why Use Stoplight?

• Visual OpenAPI Editor – No more writing YAML by hand.
• Live API Mocking – Test API endpoints before coding them.
• Collaboration-Friendly – Invite teammates, leave comments, and version-control everything.
• Automatic API Documentation – Generates beautiful docs like Redoc or Swagger UI.
• Linting & Validation – Catch errors in your OpenAPI spec before they break production.

🔧 Setting Up Stoplight for OpenAPI Docs

1. Install Stoplight Studio (Optional)

While you can use Stoplight in the browser, some people prefer the desktop app.

To install:

• Mac: brew install --cask stoplight-studio
• Windows: Download from Stoplight.io
• Linux: Use the AppImage from their website.

2. Create or Import an OpenAPI Document

Once inside Stoplight Studio, you can:
✅ Create a new OpenAPI file
✅ Import an existing openapi.yaml

Just click “Import”, select your existing OpenAPI file, and boom—a beautiful editor appears.

3. Use the Visual API Editor

Stoplight eliminates the need for YAML gymnastics by letting you edit OpenAPI visually.

Example: Adding an API Endpoint in Stoplight

1. Click “Add Endpoint” 🆕
2. Define a method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
3. Set the path (/users/{id})
4. Describe the request & response
   • Add query parameters (?name=JohnDoe)
   • Define request bodies (application/json)
   • Set response types (200 OK, 404 Not Found)
5. Preview the OpenAPI YAML (Stoplight writes it for you!)

No more missing commas, broken indentation, or YAML-induced headaches. 😎

4. Generate API Docs Automatically

Once your OpenAPI spec is ready, Stoplight automatically generates a nice API documentation site.

🛠️ Deployment Options:

• Hosted by Stoplight – Free for small projects, paid for enterprise.
• Self-Hosted – Export the docs as static files and deploy them anywhere (Netlify, GitHub Pages, etc.).
• Embed in Your App – Use an <iframe> to include API docs in your existing site.

5. Enable Mock Servers (for Testing)

Need to test your API before it’s built? Stoplight can mock API responses.

Steps to enable Stoplight Mocking:

1. Turn on “Mock Server” in the settings.
2. Call the mock API instead of the real one.

Example:

1

curl https://api.stoplight.io/mocks/project-id/users/123