Dulcet is a replacement for the standard doclet used by JavaDoc to generate HTML API documentation for Java programs. The web pages generated by dulcet use JavaScript and CSS to provide an improved user interface for Java documentation.

A key goal of dulcet is to produce documentation that supports a variety of user needs. A developer who wants to use a class has different needs than a developer who wants to create a subclass or a developer who is working on the implementation of the class. Dulcet supports these different needs by allowing the viewer of the documentation to select the class members that are displayed based on several criteria: inheritance, deprecation, and access level (public, protected, package private, private).

To get an idea of what dulcet does, check out the sample API document (a small subset of the Java SE API documentation). Note in particular how the methods on the referenced page are grouped into categories, a feature that allows large member lists to be more easily understood.

Getting Started

Getting started using dulcet is simple. Download the JAR file, then follow the instructions on the documentation page.


Inline member details
The basic documentation page for a class displays a summary of the class members. The detailed description for a member is displayed inline when requested using an expand/collapse control. There is no separate detail section.
Selective member display
Inherited and deprecated class members can be shown or hidden as desired. Class members can also be shown or hidden based on their access levels (public, protected, package private, and private).
Inherited members are not segregated
The inherited members of a class are included in the summary of the members of the class. (They can be shown or hidden as desired.) A few very common inherited members, such as those defined by class Object, are listed separately.
Navigation using pull down menus
Navigation to package pages, class pages, and individual class members is supported using pull down menus. No frames are used.
Member categories
Class members can be separated into categories. Each category is displayed as a separate section in the member summary. See the documentation page for information on how to use this feature.
Static methods and instance methods are separated
Static methods and instance methods are listed in separate sections, reflecting their distinct usages.
Classic style supported
Dulcet can generate documentation in the style of the standard doclet by specifying the option -Xclassic. See the sample classic API document.

System requirements

Dulcet is designed for use in modern browsers that support current standards for HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Dulcet has been tested using the following browsers:

Internet Explorer 7 and 8

Dulcet is based on the OpenJDK 7 standard doclet.