Jazzy
Jazzy is a free, MIT-licensed command-line utility for generating Swift and Objective-C documentation.
What Jazzy is
Jazzy is a free, MIT-licensed command-line utility for generating Swift and Objective-C documentation. It reads code and comments through Clang and SourceKit’s representation of the code structure, and produces browsable HTML styled to resemble Apple’s reference documentation. It can also create a Dash docset. Supported inputs include Swift and Objective-C source, Xcode and Swift Package Manager projects, compiled Swift modules, frameworks, symbol graph files, SourceKitten JSON, and Markdown guides. For compiled Swift modules, Jazzy can use symbol graphs. Generated documentation can include cross-references, LaTeX math, and extra Markdown guides; themes and categories can be customized, with settings in a `.jazzy.yaml` file. Jazzy supports macOS and Linux, but its bundled SourceKitten binary is built for macOS. Linux users must separately install and build SourceKitten before generating SwiftPM documentation. By default, Swift mode documents public and open declarations, while symbol-graph mode exposes comments only for public declarations. Realm Inc. maintains and funds the project.
Good
- Generates HTML and Dash docsets
- Supports Swift and Objective-C inputs
- Offers themes, categories, and Markdown guides
- MIT-licensed and free
Watch out
- Linux SwiftPM use requires separately built SourceKitten
- Swift mode defaults to public and open declarations
- Symbol-graph mode exposes comments only for public declarations
Who it suits
Jazzy suits developers documenting Swift or Objective-C projects who want HTML output or a Dash docset. Linux users should be prepared to build SourceKitten separately for SwiftPM documentation.
Verdict
Jazzy supports varied project inputs and customizable documentation output for Swift and Objective-C. Check its declaration visibility rules and platform setup against your documentation workflow.
Plans and prices
From Jazzy's own pricing page, checked 8 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Jazzy | Free | MIT-licensed open-source command-line utility |
The facts
Each one read from Jazzy's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Build tools
- The project supports Xcode and Swift Package Manager projects.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Customization
- Options can be set in a .jazzy.yaml configuration file, and the tool supports custom themes and categories.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Dash
- Along with browsable HTML documentation, Jazzy can create a docset for the Dash app.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Documentation features
- Jazzy supports cross-references, LaTeX math rendering, and additional Markdown guides in generated documentation.checked 8 Oct 2026
- License and maintainer
- Jazzy is released under the MIT license and is maintained and funded by Realm Inc.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Limitations
- In Swift mode, Jazzy documents public and open declarations by default; symbol-graph mode exposes comments only for public declarations.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Output style
- Generated documentation is designed to match the look and feel of Apple’s reference documentation.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Parsing
- It uses Clang and SourceKit to read code and comments through the code’s AST representation.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Jazzy is a command-line utility that generates documentation for Swift and Objective-C.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Support
- The README links to installation troubleshooting guidance and asks users to report code-of-conduct concerns to [email protected].checked 8 Oct 2026
- Swift modules
- Jazzy can generate documentation from compiled Swift modules using symbol graphs.checked 8 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Linux support
- On Linux, users must separately install and build SourceKitten before generating SwiftPM documentation.checked 8 Oct 2026
- macOS requirement
- Jazzy expects to run on macOS, where its bundled SourceKitten binary is built to run.checked 8 Oct 2026
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