OpenAPI tools: Expand intro & link to next step for OpenAPI spec gen and client code gen

[wadepickett]

Description

Issue #34781 and the history it points to for an older community request, was generated on this topic based on its old file name and location. I am moving it to be attached here to the latest file name and location for this topic to ensure tracking is re-established.

This reference styled topic OpenAPI tools needs the intro expanded to clarify how the tool fits into the larger picture and clarify the scope of the doc. It also needs to point to next step content such as for client code/UI generation based on OpenAPI generated spec.

Review through each request and point made in the original issue # #16158 (from 2019) on the previous version of this doc here and verify the scenario is completely addressed.

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This below was moved from the "orphaned" issue #34781 sent 2/21/25

@doggy8088, Thanks for letting us know. I see the history of requests you are pointing back to and will address.

First, it is good to note the document was moved and its file name re-named at one point.
It now published here:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/fundamentals/openapi/openapi-tools?view=aspnetcore-9.0
Source:
https://github.com/dotnet/AspNetCore.Docs/blob/main/aspnetcore/fundamentals/openapi/openapi-tools.md

Some new topics have been published recently and other updated to expand on what we have available for samples and instruction:
Overview
Generate OpenAPI documents
Include OpenAPI metadata
Customize OpenAPI documents
Use OpenAPI documents
Create a controller-based web AP - (Also shows how to use additional tooling to create ad hoc test pages for your API)
Create a minimal web API

The last 3 topics in the list above show how to use additional tooling, both from Microsoft and others to quickly generate code and ad-hoc UI testing pages to consume the API from the client end, which is closest I think to what you were originally looking for.

Note that when you generate OpenAPI specification that it is best to not make it available on production. The examples above will show how to make it only available in a development environment, since it exposes details of the API you may not want public.

Page URL

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/fundamentals/openapi/openapi-tools?view=aspnetcore-9.0

Content source URL

https://github.com/dotnet/AspNetCore.Docs/blob/main/aspnetcore/fundamentals/openapi/openapi-tools.md

Document ID

424abbdf-daf9-0cdf-e0e0-faf560463c19

Article author

@ryanbrandenburg

Metadata

• ID: 424abbdf-daf9-0cdf-e0e0-faf560463c19
• PlatformId: 904d4ebe-d33a-93df-f4db-a82fab697439
• Service: aspnet-core
• Sub-service: fundamentals

Related Issues

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Associated WorkItem - 429241