Irresistible APIs
Designing web APIs that developers will love
1st Edition
Published on 16. September 2016
232 pages
978-1-63835-344-7 (ISBN)
Description
Summary
A Web API is a platform with a web-style interface developers can use to implement functionality. Well-designed APIs feel like a natural extension of the application, rather than just a new interface into the backend database. Designing Web APIs based on use cases allows an organization to develop irresistible APIs, which developers can consume easily and which support the business values of that organization.
Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications.
About the Technology
It takes a village to deliver an irresistible web API. Business stakeholders look for an API that works side-by-side with the main product to enhance the experience for customers. Project managers require easy integration with other products or ways for customers to interact with your system. And, developers need APIs to consistently interoperate with external systems. The trick is getting the whole village together. This book shows you how.
About the Book
Irresistible APIspresents a process to create APIs that succeed for all members of the team. In it, you'll learn how to capture an application's core business value and extend it with an API that will delight the developers who use it. Thinking about APIs from the business point of view, while also considering the end-user experience, encourages you to explore both sides of the design process and learn some successful biz-to-dev communication patterns. Along the way, you'll start to view your APIs as part of your product's core value instead of just an add-on.
What's Inside
About the Reader
Written for all members of an API design team, regardless of technical level.
About the Author
Kirsten Hunter is an API evangelist who helps developers and business stakeholders understand, design, and deliver amazing APIs.
Table of Contents
A Web API is a platform with a web-style interface developers can use to implement functionality. Well-designed APIs feel like a natural extension of the application, rather than just a new interface into the backend database. Designing Web APIs based on use cases allows an organization to develop irresistible APIs, which developers can consume easily and which support the business values of that organization.
Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications.
About the Technology
It takes a village to deliver an irresistible web API. Business stakeholders look for an API that works side-by-side with the main product to enhance the experience for customers. Project managers require easy integration with other products or ways for customers to interact with your system. And, developers need APIs to consistently interoperate with external systems. The trick is getting the whole village together. This book shows you how.
About the Book
Irresistible APIspresents a process to create APIs that succeed for all members of the team. In it, you'll learn how to capture an application's core business value and extend it with an API that will delight the developers who use it. Thinking about APIs from the business point of view, while also considering the end-user experience, encourages you to explore both sides of the design process and learn some successful biz-to-dev communication patterns. Along the way, you'll start to view your APIs as part of your product's core value instead of just an add-on.
What's Inside
- Design-driven development
- Developing meaningful use cases
- API guiding principles
- How to recognize successful APIs
About the Reader
Written for all members of an API design team, regardless of technical level.
About the Author
Kirsten Hunter is an API evangelist who helps developers and business stakeholders understand, design, and deliver amazing APIs.
Table of Contents
UNDERSTANDING WEB APIs
- What makes an API irresistible?
- Working with web APIs
- API First
- Web services explained
DESIGNING WEB APIs
- Guiding principles for API design
- Defining the value for your API
- Creating your schema model
- Design-driven development
- Empowering your developers
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Kirsten Hunter
Irresistible APIs:Designing web APIs that developers will love
Designing Web APIs That Developers Will Love
Book
09/2016
Manning Publications
€42.00
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Person
Kirsten Hunter is an API evangelist who helps developers and business stakeholders understand, design, and deliver amazing APIs.
Content
- Intro
- Irresistible APIs: Designing web APIs that developers will love
- Copyright
- Brief Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- front matter
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- About this Book
- Who should read this book
- How this book is organized
- About the code
- Author Online
- About the author
- About the Cover Illustration
- Part 1. Understanding web APIs
- 1 What makes an API irresistible?
- 1.1. Integrating social APIs into web content
- 1.2. What is a web API?
- 1.2.1. Do you need an API?
- 1.2.2. Choosing REST APIs
- 1.2.3. JSON
- 1.3. Developer experience
- 1.3.1. Versioning
- 1.3.2. Marketing to developers
- 1.4. Common pitfalls of organic APIs
- 1.4.1. Lack of vision
- 1.4.2. Prioritizing the developer experience
- 1.4.3. Bad API design
- 1.5. API creation process
- 1.5.1. Determine your business value
- 1.5.2. Choose your metrics
- 1.5.3. Define your use cases
- 1.5.4. Design your API
- 1.5.5. Industry standards
- 1.5.6. Design-driven development
- 1.5.7. Support your developers
- 1.6. Summary
- 2 Working with web APIs
- 2.1. HTTP basics
- 2.1.1. HTTP request
- 2.1.2. HTTP response
- 2.1.3. HTTP interactions
- 2.2. The Toppings API
- 2.3. Designing the API
- 2.4. Using a web API
- 2.4.1. Browser
- 2.4.2. Command line (curl)
- 2.4.3. HTTP sniffers
- 2.5. Interaction between the API and client
- 2.6. Install your own API and front end
- 2.6.1. Installing the system via Docker
- 2.6.2. Installing the system via Git
- 2.6.3. Exploring the code
- 2.7. Summary
- 3 API First
- 3.1. Why choose API First?
- 3.1.1. APIs as side products
- 3.1.2. API First model
- 3.2. Code consistency
- 3.3. Functional equality
- 3.4. Increased productivity
- 3.5. Internal/external access
- 3.6. Case studies
- 3.6.1. API as the main product
- 3.6.2. Mobile First
- 3.6.3. Refactoring for API First
- 3.6.4. API First strategic direction
- 3.7. Summary
- 4 Web services explained
- 4.1. HTTP fundamentals
- 4.1.1. Addressability
- 4.1.2. Status codes
- 4.1.3. Body
- 4.1.4. HTTP verbs
- 4.1.5. Headers
- 4.1.6. Parameters
- 4.1.7. HTTP overview summary
- 4.2. REST web services explained
- 4.3. Exploring your API by inspecting HTTP traffic
- 4.3.1. Setting up Chrome for HTTP inspection
- 4.4. Web services best practices
- 4.4.1. Using the right status codes
- 4.4.2. Methods and idempotency
- 4.4.3. Nouns vs. verbs
- 4.5. Troubleshooting web API interactions
- 4.5.1. Tools for API inspection
- 4.5.2. Error handling
- 4.5.3. Defensive coding
- 4.6. Summary
- Part 2. Designing web APIs
- 5 Guiding principles for API design
- 5.1. Don't surprise your users
- 5.1.1. Flickr API example
- 5.1.2. Don't make me think
- 5.2. Focus on use cases
- 5.2.1. Use case: mobile
- 5.2.2. Use case: application integration
- 5.3. Copy successful APIs
- 5.4. REST is not always best
- 5.4.1. Expand and include related resources
- 5.4.2. Create a query language
- 5.4.3. Create a comprehensive data transfer scheme
- 5.4.4. Create a separate batching system
- 5.4.5. RESTful decisions
- 5.5. Focus on the developer experience
- 5.5.1. Communication and consistency are critical
- 5.5.2. Documentation should tell a story
- 5.6. Summary
- 6 Defining the value for your API
- 6.1. Business goals
- 6.1.1. Monetization
- 6.1.2. Usage
- 6.1.3. Partner retention
- 6.1.4. Market dominance
- 6.2. Metrics
- 6.2.1. Poor metrics
- 6.2.2. Monetization
- 6.2.3. Usage
- 6.2.4. Partner retention
- 6.2.5. Market dominance
- 6.3. Use cases
- 6.3.1. Mobile
- 6.3.2. Monetization
- 6.3.3. Usage
- 6.3.4. Customer/partner retention
- 6.4. Summary
- 7 Creating your schema model
- 7.1. What is a schema model?
- 7.2. What does the API need to do?
- 7.2.1. Top-level resources
- 7.2.2. API resource methods
- 7.3. RAML
- 7.3.1. Getting started
- 7.3.2. Step 1: adding resources
- 7.3.3. Step 2: adding the methods
- 7.3.4. Step 3: query parameters
- 7.3.5. Step 4: adding mock data
- 7.3.6. Step 5: adding mock data-GET
- 7.3.7. Step 6: adding mock data-POST
- 7.3.8. Step 7: GET response format
- 7.3.9. Step 8: PUT response format
- 7.3.10. Step 9: DELETE
- 7.3.11. Step 10: searching
- 7.3.12. Support tools for RAML
- 7.4. OpenAPI (previously Swagger)
- 7.4.1. Information about your API
- 7.4.2. Step 1: API top-level resource methods-GET
- 7.4.3. Step 2: API top-level resource methods-POST
- 7.4.4. Step 3: API subresource methods-GET, PUT, DELETE
- 7.4.5. OpenAPI tools and resources
- 7.5. Summary
- 8 Design-driven development
- 8.1. Development strategies for your API
- 8.1.1. Waterfall development
- 8.1.2. Agile/test-first development
- 8.1.3. Behavior-driven development
- 8.1.4. Design-driven development
- 8.1.5. Code-first development
- 8.1.6. Why does project management matter?
- 8.2. Project management for APIs
- 8.2.1. Functional specification
- 8.2.2. Schema model
- 8.3. Road-testing your API
- 8.3.1. Creating a mock server API
- 8.3.2. Acceptance tests and use cases
- 8.4. Planning development
- 8.5. Development sprints
- Planning
- Standups
- Kanban "Swim Lanes"
- Retrospective
- 8.6. Summary
- 9 Empowering your developers
- 9.1. Pillars of developer experience
- 9.2. Communicating with your developers
- 9.2.1. Failures of communication
- 9.2.2. Strong communication
- 9.2.3. Advantages to strong and consistent communication
- 9.3. Documenting your API
- 9.3.1. Reference documentation
- 9.3.2. Workflows
- 9.3.3. Tutorials
- 9.4. Building blocks
- 9.4.1. Sample code
- 9.4.2. Reference applications
- 9.4.3. Tools and techniques
- 9.5. Developer support
- 9.5.1. Interactive
- 9.5.2. Noninteractive
- 9.6. Summary
- Index
- List of Figures
- List of Tables
- List of Listings
