Switch from strong-docs to TypeDoc for generating API documentation

[kjdelisle]

connected to #874
related to #584

Overview

Determine the work required to migrate from strong-docs to TypeDoc as our default API documentation generator for LoopBack 4.

NOTE: These questions must be answered for the spike to be considered complete, since they determine:

• Whether or not we can use TypeDoc
• What sort of effort is required to switch to using it
• Whether or not the cost/benefit of doing so is not as attractive as fixing strong-docs to correctly use TypeDoc

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Questions To Answer

• How will the generated TypeDoc be incorporated into our website? (Do we need to do something differently to have these docs appear on apidocs.strongloop.com?)
  • How does the current API document deployment work with strong-docs?
  • Can we simply drop in the new generated docs site as a replacement?
• Can we change the layout of the generated documentation made by TypeDoc?
  • If so, which parts are easily changed and which are not?
  • List the steps required to make these layout changes
• Can we change the theme of the generated documentation and site links (to fit our current/future site aesthetics)?
  • What are the steps that need to be taken to do this?
• Are there any gaps in the generated documentation with TypeDoc?
  • If so, list them as well as the impact this may have on areas of the documentation
• What license does TypeDoc use?
  • The default template adds a created-by message and link at the bottom of all generated pages; does the license require that we keep this?
  • Are there any other requirements to use TypeDoc?
• Can we modify the output of TypeDoc programmatically?
  • If so, what options are available to us?

[dhmlau]

As part of the spike, can we also find out if the problem in #584 will be gone too?

[raymondfeng]

FYI: strong-docs internally uses typedoc programatically. It parses docs.json and passes the file names to typedoc to create metadata constructs for TypeScript.

[raymondfeng]

I think #874 has been fixed. With that, I don't see the need to switch.

[dhmlau]

@kjdelisle , could you please take a look if we still need to do this spike, based on @raymondfeng 's comments?

[dhmlau]

@kjdelisle ^^^

[virkt25]

Closing this as no longer needed. Majority of outstanding issues have been fixed by @raymondfeng via #874