Require that an API documents a clear path for consumers to migrate onto, between, or off of it without being stranded. Lock-in by design erodes trust, so an honest operation makes leaving possible even as it works to earn consumers staying. A well-defined exit and migration path is what lets people commit to an API without fear of being trapped later.
API Exit and Migration Path
Strategies
APIs Avoid Vendor Lock-In
Lock-in is a choice, and I want API operations to choose against it. Building on open standards, avoiding proprietary traps, and giving consumers a clear way out are what let people commit to an AP...
APIs Support Data Portability and Ownership
The data flowing through an API belongs to the people and organizations it describes, not to whoever happens to be storing it. I believe APIs should make it genuinely possible for consumers to expo...
Experiences
Portability
Portability is the experience of being able to take your data, your integrations, and your business somewhere else if you need to. An API that supports data export, standard formats, and clear migr...
Stability
Stability is the experience of being able to depend on an API not breaking underneath you. It is built on thoughtful versioning, backward compatibility, clear change communication, and honoring com...
Lifecycle
event_busy Deprecation Deprecate
Every API ends, and deprecation is how you end one with dignity. Clear timelines, communication, and sunset headers give consumers the runway they need to move on. How I deprecate an API tells cons...
