***

title: Generate gRPC API Reference
description: >-
Use Fern Docs to generate gRPC API Reference documentation from Protocol
Buffer (.proto) files.
----------------------

Fern generates gRPC API Reference documentation from your [Protocol Buffer (`.proto`) files](/learn/api-definitions/grpc/overview). Add your `.proto` files to your Fern project and Fern renders services, RPCs, messages, and types as an interactive reference.

## Configuration

<Steps>
  <Step title="Set up your project structure">
    Add your `.proto` files to your `/fern` directory and create a `generators.yml` that references them:

    ```yaml generators.yml
    api:
      specs:
        - proto:
            root: ./proto
            target: proto/service/v1/service.proto
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the gRPC Reference to your navigation">
    Add `- api: API Reference` to your navigation in `docs.yml`:

    ```yml docs.yml
    navigation:
      - api: API Reference
    ```

    Fern will automatically populate your services, RPCs, message types, and enums from your `.proto` files.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Customize the layout">
    For a full list of configuration options and layout customizations, see [Customize API Reference layout](/learn/docs/api-references/customize-api-reference-layout).
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Include more than one gRPC Reference

To include multiple gRPC definitions in your documentation, use the `api-name` property. The `api-name` corresponds to the folder name containing your gRPC definition.

<Files>
  <Folder name="fern" defaultOpen>
    <File name="fern.config.json" />

    <File name="docs.yml" />

    <Folder name="user-api" defaultOpen>
      <Folder name="proto" defaultOpen>
        <File name="user_service.proto" comment="User gRPC service" />
      </Folder>

      <File name="generators.yml" />
    </Folder>

    <Folder name="billing-api" defaultOpen>
      <Folder name="proto" defaultOpen>
        <File name="billing_service.proto" comment="Billing gRPC service" />
      </Folder>

      <File name="generators.yml" />
    </Folder>
  </Folder>
</Files>

```yaml title="docs.yml"
navigation:
  - api: User API
    api-name: user-api
  - api: Billing API
    api-name: billing-api
```

### Configuration properties

<ParamField path="api.specs[].proto" required>
  Path to your gRPC specification file. You can include multiple gRPC specs if your project exposes more than one API.
</ParamField>