diff --git a/src/api_schema/format.rs b/src/api_schema/format.rs
index ff501686..e4277bd7 100644
--- a/src/api_schema/format.rs
+++ b/src/api_schema/format.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
+use failure::*;
+
+use std::io::Write;
 use crate::api_schema::*;
+use crate::api_schema::router::*;
 
 #[derive(Copy, Clone)]
 pub enum ParameterDisplayStyle {
@@ -134,3 +138,158 @@ pub fn get_property_description(
         text
     }
 }
+
+fn dump_api_parameters(param: &ObjectSchema) -> String {
+
+    let mut res = wrap_text("", "", param.description, 80);
+
+    let properties = &param.properties;
+
+    let mut prop_names: Vec<&str> = properties.keys().map(|v| *v).collect();
+    prop_names.sort();
+
+    let mut required_list: Vec<String> = vec![];
+    let mut optional_list: Vec<String> = vec![];
+
+    for prop in prop_names {
+        let (optional, schema) = properties.get(prop).unwrap();
+
+        let param_descr = get_property_description(
+            prop, &schema, ParameterDisplayStyle::Config, DocumentationFormat::ReST);
+
+        if *optional {
+            optional_list.push(param_descr);
+        } else {
+            required_list.push(param_descr);
+        }
+    }
+
+    if required_list.len() > 0 {
+
+        res.push_str("\n*Required properties:*\n\n");
+
+        for text in required_list {
+            res.push_str(&text);
+            res.push('\n');
+        }
+
+    }
+
+    if optional_list.len() > 0 {
+
+        res.push_str("\n*Optional properties:*\n\n");
+
+        for text in optional_list {
+            res.push_str(&text);
+            res.push('\n');
+        }
+    }
+
+    res
+}
+
+fn dump_api_return_schema(schema: &Schema) -> String {
+
+    let mut res = String::from("*Returns*: ");
+
+    let type_text = get_schema_type_text(schema, ParameterDisplayStyle::Config);
+    res.push_str(&format!("**{}**\n\n", type_text));
+
+    match schema {
+        Schema::Null => {
+            return res;
+        }
+        Schema::Boolean(schema) => {
+            let description = wrap_text("", "", schema.description, 80);
+            res.push_str(&description);
+        }
+        Schema::Integer(schema) => {
+            let description = wrap_text("", "", schema.description, 80);
+            res.push_str(&description);
+        }
+        Schema::String(schema) => {
+            let description = wrap_text("", "", schema.description, 80);
+            res.push_str(&description);
+        }
+        Schema::Array(schema) => {
+            let description = wrap_text("", "", schema.description, 80);
+            res.push_str(&description);
+        }
+        Schema::Object(obj_schema) => {
+            res.push_str(&dump_api_parameters(obj_schema));
+
+        }
+    }
+
+    res.push('\n');
+
+    res
+}
+
+fn dump_method_definition(method: &str, path: &str, def: &MethodDefinition) -> Option<String> {
+
+    match def {
+        MethodDefinition::None => return None,
+        MethodDefinition::Simple(simple_method) => {
+            let param_descr = dump_api_parameters(&simple_method.parameters);
+
+            let return_descr = dump_api_return_schema(&simple_method.returns);
+
+            let res = format!("**{} {}**\n\n{}\n\n{}", method, path, param_descr, return_descr);
+            return Some(res);
+         }
+        MethodDefinition::Async(async_method) => {
+            let method = if method == "POST" { "UPLOAD" } else { method };
+            let method = if method == "GET" { "DOWNLOAD" } else { method };
+
+            let param_descr = dump_api_parameters(&async_method.parameters);
+
+            let return_descr = dump_api_return_schema(&async_method.returns);
+
+            let res = format!("**{} {}**\n\n{}\n\n{}", method, path, param_descr, return_descr);
+            return Some(res);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn dump_api(output: &mut dyn Write, router: &Router, path: &str, mut pos: usize) -> Result<(), Error> {
+
+    let mut cond_print = |x| -> Result<_, Error> {
+        if let Some(text) = x {
+            if pos > 0 {
+                writeln!(output, "-----\n")?;
+            }
+            writeln!(output, "{}", text)?;
+            pos += 1;
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    };
+
+    cond_print(dump_method_definition("GET", path, &router.get))?;
+    cond_print(dump_method_definition("POST", path, &router.post))?;
+    cond_print(dump_method_definition("PUT", path, &router.put))?;
+    cond_print(dump_method_definition("DELETE", path, &router.delete))?;
+
+    match &router.subroute {
+        SubRoute::None => return Ok(()),
+        SubRoute::MatchAll { router, param_name } => {
+            let sub_path = if path == "." {
+                format!("<{}>", param_name)
+            } else {
+                format!("{}/<{}>", path, param_name)
+            };
+            dump_api(output, router, &sub_path, pos)?;
+        }
+        SubRoute::Hash(map) => {
+            let mut keys: Vec<&String> = map.keys().collect();
+            keys.sort_unstable_by(|a, b| a.cmp(b));
+            for key in keys {
+                let sub_router = &map[key];
+                let sub_path = if path == "." { key.to_owned() } else { format!("{}/{}", path, key) };
+                dump_api(output, sub_router, &sub_path, pos)?;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/src/bin/dump-backup-api.rs b/src/bin/dump-backup-api.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b474f14a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bin/dump-backup-api.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+use failure::*;
+
+use proxmox_backup::api2;
+use proxmox_backup::api_schema::format::*;
+
+fn main() -> Result<(), Error> {
+
+    let api = api2::admin::datastore::backup::backup_api();
+
+    dump_api(&mut std::io::stdout(), &api, ".", 0)?;
+
+    Ok(())
+}