The step by step walk-through for new API consumers, ensuring they have exactly what is needed to discover and onboard, but also help make sure the getting started steps are as simple, plain language, and easy to follow.
Getting Started
Rules
APIs.json Apis Properties Getting Started Info
This property so that there is a getting started link available, giving a reference for API consumers to get started with an API is as few steps as possible
Strategies
Onboarding is Always as Easy as Possible
I have been onboarding with APIs for over fifteen years and the best ones always get you from zero to first call in just a couple of steps. Documentation, authentication, SDKs--these need to be eas...
APIs Deliver an Exceptional Developer Experience
Developer experience is where the technology, business, and politics of APIs all converge. Interactive docs, sandbox environments, realistic examples, intuitive naming--when developers can quickly ...
Experiences
Communication
I struggle with how little communication happens between the teams producing APIs and the people consuming them. Blogs, changelogs, roadmaps -- these are building blocks that most teams just skip, ...
Consistency
When I look across the API landscape, consistency is one of the biggest challenges I see. Every team does things differently, and the surface area of inconsistency just grows until governance becom...
Discovery
Discovery is the dark matter of the API landscape. Teams build APIs that already exist somewhere else, and consumers can't find the APIs they need. Without a catalog and proper metadata, you're jus...
Onboarding
I see teams dealing with massive friction during onboarding. If a consumer can't get from zero to their first successful API call in minutes, you've already lost them. Getting started guides, sandb...
Self-Service
Self-service is the goal I keep pushing teams toward. If a consumer can't find your API, sign up, get keys, and make their first call without emailing someone, you've created a bottleneck that will...
Simplicity
I am a big believer that the best APIs are the simple ones. When I see overly complex API designs, I know someone was thinking about their internal architecture instead of the consumer. Keep the su...