> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://payload-plugin-openapi.seshuk.im/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quick start

> Install the plugin, add openapi() and scalar() to your Payload config, and get a live spec with interactive docs.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Install">
    <CodeGroup>
      ```bash npm theme={null}
      npm install @seshuk/payload-plugin-openapi
      ```

      ```bash pnpm theme={null}
      pnpm add @seshuk/payload-plugin-openapi
      ```

      ```bash yarn theme={null}
      yarn add @seshuk/payload-plugin-openapi
      ```
    </CodeGroup>

    <Info>Requires Payload `^3.53.0` and Node.js 20 or later.</Info>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the plugin">
    Add `openapi()` for the spec and `scalar()` for the docs UI:

    ```ts payload.config.ts theme={null}
    import { openapi, scalar } from '@seshuk/payload-plugin-openapi'
    import { buildConfig } from 'payload'

    export default buildConfig({
      // ...
      plugins: [
        openapi({
          metadata: {
            title: 'My API',
            version: '1.0.0',
          },
        }),
        scalar(),
      ],
    })
    ```

    <Note>`metadata.title` and `metadata.version` are required. The plugin throws on boot if either is missing.</Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the docs">
    Two endpoints are now live:

    * `GET /api/openapi.json` — the generated OpenAPI document
    * `GET /api/docs` — interactive API reference (Scalar)

    Both are mounted under your Payload API route (`routes.api`, `/api` by default), since the plugin registers them as Payload endpoints. The `path` and `specEndpoint` options you pass are relative to that route.

    Prefer Swagger UI? Swap `scalar()` for `swaggerUi()` — or mount both on different paths. See [Docs UI](/configuration/docs-ui).
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Next steps

* [Configuration overview](/configuration/overview) — every plugin option
* [Filters](/configuration/filters) — choose which entities and operations are documented
* [Security marking](/configuration/security-marking) — how operations get their public/secured padlock
* [Custom endpoints](/guides/custom-endpoints) — document your own endpoints with `custom.openapi`
* [CLI generation](/cli/generate) — write the spec to a file for CI or codegen
* [Examples](/guides/examples) — complete configurations for common setups