# Deepgram unifies REST and WebSocket API documentation via Fern Docs

**Date:** 2026-05-12  
**Source:** https://buildwithfern.com/customers/deepgram

> How Deepgram consolidated REST (OpenAPI) and WebSocket (AsyncAPI 3.0) documentation into a single developer experience and opened contribution to PMs across the company.

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<Eyebrow>The problem</Eyebrow>

## Deepgram's fragmented documentation couldn't scale across REST and WebSocket APIs

Deepgram's platform includes both REST APIs for standard operations and WebSocket APIs for real-time streaming audio processing. Before Fern, Deepgram used ReadMe. ReadMe had zero AsyncAPI spec support, and as Deepgram moves toward doing more AsyncAPI than OpenAPI work, this gap was becoming critical.

ReadMe's CMS also created friction. Deepgram's docs are maintained by developers who want to work in raw code, not a WYSIWYG editor. Switching between the two was painful and slow. Adding custom HTML was difficult, and creating reusable components was nearly impossible.

Deepgram started using Fern for their documentation in January 2025. The migration consolidated their REST API documentation (OpenAPI) and WebSocket API documentation (AsyncAPI 3.0) into a single, unified developer experience.

<Quote author="Corey Weathers" role="Developer Relations Lead at Deepgram">
  The level of support we receive from Fern is unparalleled; it feels like working with a local
  internal team rather than an external vendor. Fern's rapid turnaround on complex features
  demonstrates a deep commitment to our technical success and a true partnership in building our
  developer ecosystem.
</Quote>

<Eyebrow>The solution</Eyebrow>

## One platform for REST and WebSocket documentation

Key capabilities Deepgram unlocked with Fern:

- **Unified REST and WebSocket documentation.** Fern's support for both OpenAPI and AsyncAPI 3.0 allowed Deepgram to maintain a single docs site covering their entire API surface.
- **Custom components and flexibility.** Deepgram wanted to build custom React components for their docs, which was difficult with ReadMe's CMS interface. With Fern, they can easily integrate custom components like the session-based auth they configured to connect with their dashboard.
- **Rapid documentation updates with Fern Writer.** Deepgram's docs are maintained by developers, but Fern Writer has changed who can contribute. Around 20-30 people across the 150-person company have made Fern Writer PRs including a massive influx of PMs now maintaining their own docs, freeing up engineering time.
- **Docs-as-code workflow.** Fern's GitHub integration lets Deepgram's developers work the way they want: updating documentation through pull requests, reviewing changes as code, and deploying automatically.

<Eyebrow>Looking ahead</Eyebrow>

## Scaling documentation alongside rapid product development

Deepgram is moving toward more AsyncAPI than OpenAPI work as they expand their real-time streaming capabilities. Fern's continued investment in AsyncAPI support means they can scale their documentation alongside their product, freeing the team to focus on building cutting-edge voice AI technology.