# OpenAPI Reference: Mintlify vs Powerduck

**Short answer:** Both render an OpenAPI reference, but the source relationship differs. A generated reference is the spec rendered, so parameter tables, enums, and responses cannot drift. A reference inside a hosted platform is wired to the spec but lives inside a larger product and its bill.

## What a reference must stay correct on

Parameter tables, required flags, enums, request and response schemas, and samples. These are the parts that drift when the reference is maintained separately.

## Where each approach sits

| Part | Hosted reference | Generated reference |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Parameter tables | Wired to spec | Rendered from spec |
| Responses | Wired | From the contract |
| Surrounding product | Platform | Static export |
| Drift | As configured | Not possible |

## The failure that matters

A reference that shows a field the API no longer has, or misses a new one, is the classic drift. A generated reference reflects the current contract, so it cannot be stale.

## The decision rule

If the reference is part of a broad docs product, the platform is the natural home. If the reference is the core and must stay exactly synced, generate it.

This is part of the [Powerduck vs Mintlify comparison](https://www.powerduck.com/blog/powerduck-vs-mintlify/). Next, read [code vs spec](https://www.powerduck.com/blog/docs-from-code-vs-docs-from-spec/).