[//]: # (title: Javadoc)

> The Javadoc output format is still in Alpha, so you may find bugs and experience migration issues when using it. 
> Successful integration with tools that accept Java's Javadoc HTML as input is not guaranteed.
> **You use it at your own risk.**
>
{type="warning"}

Dokka's Javadoc output format is a lookalike of Java's
[Javadoc HTML format](https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/19/docs/api/index.html). 

It tries to visually mimic HTML pages generated by the Javadoc tool, but it's not a direct implementation
or an exact copy.

![Screenshot of javadoc output format](javadoc-format-example.png){width=706}

All Kotlin code and signatures are rendered as seen from Java's perspective. This is achieved with our
[Kotlin as Java Dokka plugin](https://github.com/Kotlin/dokka/tree/%dokkaVersion%/plugins/kotlin-as-java), which comes bundled and
applied by default for this format.

The Javadoc output format is implemented as a [Dokka plugin](dokka-plugins.md), and it is maintained by the Dokka team.
It is open source and you can find the source code on [GitHub](https://github.com/Kotlin/dokka/tree/%dokkaVersion%/plugins/javadoc).

## Generate Javadoc documentation

> The Javadoc format does not support multiplatform projects.
>
{type="warning"}


<tabs group="build-script">
<tab title="Gradle" group-key="kotlin">

The [Gradle plugin for Dokka](dokka-gradle.md) comes with the Javadoc output format included. You can use the following tasks:

| **Task**                | **Description**                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|-------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `dokkaJavadoc`          | Generates Javadoc documentation for a single project.                                                                                                                                                        |
| `dokkaJavadocCollector` | A [`Collector`](dokka-gradle.md#collector-tasks) task created only for parent projects in multi-project builds. It calls `dokkaJavadoc` for every subproject and merges all outputs into a single virtual project. |

The `javadoc.jar` file can be generated separately. For more information, see [Building `javadoc.jar`](dokka-gradle.md#build-javadoc-jar).

</tab>
<tab title="Maven" group-key="groovy">

The [Maven plugin for Dokka](dokka-maven.md) comes with the Javadoc output format built in. You can generate documentation
by using the following goals:

| **Goal**           | **Description**                                                              |
|--------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `dokka:javadoc`    | Generates documentation in Javadoc format                                    |
| `dokka:javadocJar` | Generates a `javadoc.jar` file that contains documentation in Javadoc format |


</tab>
<tab title="CLI" group-key="cli">

Since the Javadoc output format is a [Dokka plugin](dokka-plugins.md#apply-dokka-plugins), you need to 
[download the plugin's JAR file](https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/org/jetbrains/dokka/javadoc-plugin/%dokkaVersion%/javadoc-plugin-%dokkaVersion%.jar).

The Javadoc output format has two dependencies that you need to provide as additional JAR files:

* [kotlin-as-java plugin](https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/org/jetbrains/dokka/kotlin-as-java-plugin/%dokkaVersion%/kotlin-as-java-plugin-%dokkaVersion%.jar)
* [korte-jvm](https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/com/soywiz/korlibs/korte/korte-jvm/3.3.0/korte-jvm-3.3.0.jar)

Via [command line options](dokka-cli.md#run-with-command-line-options):

```Bash
java -jar dokka-cli-%dokkaVersion%.jar \
     -pluginsClasspath "./dokka-base-%dokkaVersion%.jar;...;./javadoc-plugin-%dokkaVersion%.jar" \
     ...
```

Via [JSON configuration](dokka-cli.md#run-with-json-configuration):

```json
{
  ...
  "pluginsClasspath": [
    "./dokka-base-%dokkaVersion%.jar",
    "...",
    "./kotlin-as-java-plugin-%dokkaVersion%.jar",
    "./korte-jvm-3.3.0.jar",
    "./javadoc-plugin-%dokkaVersion%.jar"
  ],
  ...
}
```

For more information, see [Other output formats](dokka-cli.md#other-output-formats) in the CLI runner's documentation.

</tab>
</tabs>