---
phase: 11-developer-guide-api-reference
plan: "03"
subsystem: docs
tags: [mkdocstrings, griffe, api-reference, mkdocs, plugins]

requires:
  - phase: 11-01
    provides: mkdocstrings plugin configured in mkdocs.yml with paths:[src] and allow_inspection:false

provides:
  - docs/api-reference.md with 5 mkdocstrings ::: directives for the plugin public API
  - API Reference page in mkdocs nav under Developer Guide
  - Auto-generated documentation for hookspecs, contracts, _version, actions.definitions, actions.registry

affects:
  - phase 12 (any subsequent docs phases referencing API surface)
  - CI docs deploy workflow (api-reference.md rendered by gh-deploy)

tech-stack:
  added: []
  patterns:
    - "mkdocstrings ::: directive with per-block options overriding global defaults"
    - "heading_level: 3 under H2 section headings for module-level blocks"
    - "show_source: true for hookspecs (plugin authors need signatures), false for contracts/registry"

key-files:
  created:
    - docs/api-reference.md
  modified:
    - mkdocs.yml

key-decisions:
  - "Correct hookspec class name is ZtlctlHookSpec (not ZtlctlSpec as plan comment suggested) — read source confirmed"
  - "Added api-reference.md to mkdocs.yml nav under Developer Guide (plan omitted this step but required for mkdocs to include the page)"
  - "show_source: true only on hookspecs — plugin authors benefit from seeing real signatures; contracts/registry use show_source: false"

patterns-established:
  - "Per-block mkdocstrings options override global defaults; use heading_level: 3 when page has H2 sections"

requirements-completed:
  - DVGD-02

duration: 2min
completed: 2026-03-20
---

# Phase 11 Plan 03: API Reference Summary

**docs/api-reference.md with 5 mkdocstrings directives auto-generating plugin public API from source — hookspecs, contracts, _version, actions.definitions, actions.registry**

## Performance

- **Duration:** ~2 min
- **Started:** 2026-03-20T19:05:00Z
- **Completed:** 2026-03-20T19:06:45Z
- **Tasks:** 1
- **Files modified:** 2

## Accomplishments

- Created `docs/api-reference.md` with 5 `::: ztlctl.*` directives covering the full plugin public API surface
- Added API Reference page to mkdocs.yml nav under Developer Guide section
- Verified `mkdocs build` exits 0 with all 5 modules parsed by griffe static AST visitor

## Task Commits

Each task was committed atomically:

1. **Task 1: Create docs/api-reference.md with mkdocstrings directives** - `5bb5e8f` (feat)

**Plan metadata:** _(final docs commit follows)_

## Files Created/Modified

- `docs/api-reference.md` - API reference page with 5 mkdocstrings ::: directives for plugin public API
- `mkdocs.yml` - Added `API Reference: api-reference.md` to Developer Guide nav section

## Decisions Made

- Correct hookspec class name is `ZtlctlHookSpec` (plan comment mentioned `ZtlctlSpec` — source read confirmed the actual name)
- Added `api-reference.md` to mkdocs.yml nav under Developer Guide; plan omitted this step but it is required for MkDocs to include the page in the built site
- `show_source: true` on hookspecs only — plugin authors need to see real method signatures; contracts and registry use `show_source: false` to keep page focused on API surface

## Deviations from Plan

None — plan executed exactly as written. The nav entry addition was a minor necessary step implicit in "mkdocs build succeeds."

## Issues Encountered

None.

## User Setup Required

None - no external service configuration required.

## Next Phase Readiness

- `docs/api-reference.md` is live and renders correctly via mkdocs build
- DVGD-02 satisfied; plugin-guide.md (plan 02) + api-reference.md (plan 03) together complete the developer guide API documentation
- Phase 11 plan 04 (if any) can proceed; Phase 12+ can reference this page via nav link `api-reference.md`

---
*Phase: 11-developer-guide-api-reference*
*Completed: 2026-03-20*
