Product spec vs datasheet vs API overview: which template to use
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"Spec" covers several different documents. Wordspecs starts with three templates, because they are the documents most small teams write most often. You can see a rendered example of each in the sample sheets on the home page.
SaaS product spec
For deciding what to build and why. Fields include summary, problem, goals, non-goals, requirements with priorities, success metrics, open questions and a release plan. The reader is an engineer, designer or stakeholder who needs to know what is in scope.
Hardware datasheet
For describing what a physical product is and does. Fields include description, key features, electrical characteristics with minimum, typical and maximum values, environmental limits, mechanical details, radio details and ordering information. The reader is an engineer or buyer comparing parts.
API overview
For telling a developer how to integrate. Fields include summary, base URL, authentication, endpoints, rate limits, versioning and error codes. The reader is a developer deciding whether the API fits and how to start.
Choosing
- Deciding what to build: product spec.
- Describing a thing you make or sell: datasheet.
- Describing how to call your service: API overview.
The examples on the site are invented, for illustration only. If your documents look different, saved templates let you keep your own format.