sphinxcontrib-apidoc
A Sphinx extension for running 'sphinx-apidoc' on each build
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you are already using Sphinx and want to simplify your documentation build pipeline by integrating sphinx-apidoc directly into conf.py. However, check whether Sphinx's built-in apidoc extension meets your needs first, as the project documentation recommends new users adopt that instead and notes this project will eventually be retired.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.9 or later; Sphinx must be installed as a runtime dependency.
- Low install friction with only two runtime dependencies (pbr and Sphinx).
- Repository is active with a recent commit on 2026-06-08 and no known vulnerabilities.
License · maintenance · safety
BSD License (permissive) — BSD License (permissive) places no restrictions on use, modification, or distribution in proprietary or open-source projects.
last release 2025-05-08 (463 days) · last repo commit 2026-06-08 · 65 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 195,630 downloads/mo, #9,810 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install sphinxcontrib-apidoc
# In doc/source/conf.py:
extensions = ['sphinxcontrib.apidoc']
apidoc_module_dir = '../my_code'
apidoc_output_dir = 'reference'
apidoc_excluded_paths = ['tests']- Whether the built-in Sphinx extension mentioned in the description has feature parity or significant differences that would affect migration decisions.
- Performance characteristics when documenting large codebases with many modules.
What it is and what it does
sphinxcontrib-apidoc is a Sphinx extension that integrates sphinx-apidoc into the documentation build process, eliminating the need to run sphinx-apidoc as a separate step before sphinx-build. Instead of configuring API documentation generation in tox.ini or shell scripts, you define settings directly in your Sphinx conf.py file.
The extension accepts configuration options like apidoc_module_dir (the Python package to document), apidoc_output_dir (where to write generated files), apidoc_excluded_paths (modules to skip), and apidoc_separate_modules (whether each module gets its own page). It depends on pbr and Sphinx, supports Python 3.9+, and is actively maintained. However, the project documentation notes that Sphinx now includes a built-in extension with similar functionality, and existing users are encouraged to migrate to that instead.
Use it for
- Simplify documentation builds by moving sphinx-apidoc configuration from tox.ini into conf.py, reducing build orchestration complexity.
- Automatically generate API reference documentation for Python packages as part of the standard sphinx-build workflow.
- Migrate from pbr's autodoc_tree feature to a standalone Sphinx extension without changing documentation structure.
- Exclude test modules and private code from generated API docs using fnmatch-style path patterns.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you are already using Sphinx and want to simplify your documentation build pipeline by integrating sphinx-apidoc directly into conf.py.
However, check whether Sphinx's built-in apidoc extension meets your needs first, as the project documentation recommends new users adopt that instead and notes this project will eventually be retired.
Install
sphinxcontrib-apidoc on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with only two runtime dependencies (pbr and Sphinx). Repository is active with a recent commit on 2026-06-08 and no known vulnerabilities.
Requires Python 3.9 or later; Sphinx must be installed as a runtime dependency.
License in practice
BSD License (permissive) places no restrictions on use, modification, or distribution in proprietary or open-source projects.
Quickstart
pip install sphinxcontrib-apidoc
# In doc/source/conf.py:
extensions = ['sphinxcontrib.apidoc']
apidoc_module_dir = '../my_code'
apidoc_output_dir = 'reference'
apidoc_excluded_paths = ['tests']Verify before relying
- Whether the built-in Sphinx extension mentioned in the description has feature parity or significant differences that would affect migration decisions.
- Performance characteristics when documenting large codebases with many modules.
Package facts
| License | BSD License permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.9 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 2 packagespbrSphinx |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 463 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 195,630 / month, #9,810 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 4 - BetaEnvironment :: ConsoleFramework :: Sphinx :: ExtensionIntended Audience :: DevelopersIntended Audience :: Information TechnologyLicense :: OSI Approved :: BSD LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyTopic :: DocumentationTopic :: Documentation :: SphinxTopic :: Utilities |
Evidence: sphinxcontrib_apidoc-0.6.0-py3-none-any.whl
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See also autodocsumm · sphinx-autoapi · sphinxcontrib-django · sphinxcontrib-autoyaml · sphinx-autodoc2 · autodoc_pydantic · sphinx-markdown-builder · sphinx-codeautolink · sphinx-autodoc-typehints · sphinx-llm