6 ways to an awesome api
@AnnaGerber
Senior Backend Developer @ PCCW Global
Develop the contract first
1
API
application programming Interface
Specification
- Swagger (Open API)
- API Blueprint
- RESTful API modelling language (RAML)
- JSON schema
- WSDL / WADL
documentation
- include runnable code examples
- easy to search and navigate
- up to date
- versioned
Practise test-driven development (TDD)
2
TDD process
- think
- write tests
- write minimal code to make the tests pass
- refactor the code
Don't forget to refactor The TESTS too!
Prioritize the Developer Experience
3
Empathetic
API Design
- Model-based
- Appropriate level of abstraction and granularity
- Flexible
- Stable
- Scalable
CULTIVATE CONSISTENCY
4
consistenT design
- Naming conventions
- Hierarchy
- Responses
- Error handling
- Versioning
consistent code
- Naming conventions
- Consistent style
- ES6
- Consistent approach to async
- Logging
consistent Environment
- Docker
- Env vars
- Scripts
WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER
5
code generation
Automation
Know your tools
self development
6
code criticism
(judging the merits and faults)
experiment
community
6 ways to an awesome API
- Develop the contract first
- Practise test-driven development
- Prioritize the Developer Experience
- Cultivate consistency
- Work smarter not harder
- Self development
