7 habits of highly effective apis
DESCRIPTION
SoapUI creator Ole Lensmar's presentation from the 2013 API Strategy ConferenceTRANSCRIPT
7 Habits of highly effective APIs
Ole Lensmar, API aficionado
@olensmar
your API is highly effective because…
it has a @twitter account
it has a @twitter account
• communicates feature updates, new versions, etc
• exposes itself in API directories
• provides health / uptime / downtime info
it’s beautifully described
it’s beautifully described
• generous and easily navigated documentation
• code examples for “relevant” languages
• metadata for code generation and testing
it’s instantly accessible
it’s instantly accessible
• fully automated API key / account creation
• generous developer quota
• getting started tutorials and examples
it has a sandbox for experiments
it has a sandbox for experiments
• limited functionality or content
• simulations of errors and out-of-bounds situations
• no limits on usages – doesn’t consume quota
it has out-of-the-box clients
it has out-of-the-box clients
• lowers barrier of entry
• hides complexity related to authentication, parsing, etc
• adapts API to client paradigms
it knows and serves its user
it knows and serves its user
• uses the right technologies for the domain
• respects security and authentication requirements
• adopts common nomenclature and naming
it’s aware of its constraints
it’s aware of its constraints
• continuously evaluates its performance and availability
• monitors 3rd party APIs and dependencies
• handles unexpected events gracefully with the user in mind
it’s prepared for (r)evolution
it’s prepared for (r)evolution
• versioned from day 1 in line with best practices
• communicates and implements a versioning strategy
• handles “old” clients gracefully
3:30:3
3:30:3
• 3 seconds to understand what the API does
• 30 seconds to find the endpoint
• 3 minutes to be up and running
Thanks to Ori Pekelman!
Thank you!
Ole Lensmar
@olensmar