Best practices in writing api documentation

Even further, if your developer is logged in when viewing the documentation, you could provide an additional status indicator for just their recent calls to each specific endpoint.

Extending the previous example, if the address field is restructured into sub-fields containing each constituent part of the address such as streetAddress, city, state, and zipCodethis version of the resource could be exposed through a URI containing a version number, such as http: Right now this means at least: Update and iterate before feature launches and every few months Many dev teams make the mistake of either waiting until after launch to update documentation, or of slapping together a few new params and calling it a day.

If the response would be the same, the server simply responds with the - Not Modified status and does not send the resource again. Create an exhaustive and concise plan for API documentation. You'll need to explain how errors are handled as well.

If your users can interact with your API directly from the docs, watching how it behaves and reading explanations side-by-side, you will greatly accelerate the ability of any developer to successfully implement a client.

But then within the documentation for each call you should indicate which global concerns apply to that call and link to their sections.

It is best if your test key is very obviously so, such as a highly repetitive pattern like ffffffff if you used hexadecimal keys. Why would I put myself in the user's shoes and create content solely focused on the user's needs.

You should also make this technology selection visually unobtrusive on your docs site, as any given user of your docs will likely only need to make the choice once to select their preferred technology. Here's how you avoid the reputation-killing mistake of keeping outdated documentation. If there is an effort to document it, it is because it is on the agenda for future improvements.

Explanation of every call and parameter. Don't go overboard on the hyperlinks. Documentation here actually starts in the API design. This is your chance to show off best practices for using your API, which should include things like caching, client data storage, request retry and failure handling patterns, specific data type parsing and computed display e.

I enjoy driving very fast cars and drinking red wine; privately. It was created specifically for developers that use autodoc tools as a supplement to their fleshed out documentation, rather than a crutch.

For example, suppose a client application needs to find all orders with a cost over a specific value. API documentation has to be more than bare necessities like methods and endpoints. Interactivity features will be very valuable to both your newcomer and debugger, and may tip the scales on quality and comparison-to-competition for the decision maker.

Create minimum viable documentation Writing API documentation from scratch isn't exactly a weekend project. If you can provide helpful, human-readable information in your error messages—beyond just an accurate error-code—you'll make your users' learning curve considerably less steep.

This header indicates that the GET operation supports partial requests. You can further aid the developer by indicating the test nature of such a response by including a field in the response body itself or — the best option — by integrating a full rate-limiting system with indicators in the response headers like GitHub does.

This will make sure that no documentation for deprecated features has survived, misleading your API consumers. Documentation needs to include explanations, overviews, and clarifications that need to be detailed in plain English.

Net, Ruby, Python, Scala. They recently updated the design again, with an even nicer UI. Others like Programmable Web and Parse have written up some great advice on this topic.

Here are the essentials for a modern layout.

All of these are challenges that can be overcome, but they will require putting real talent on your team behind them. In your REST API documentation, you describe the various endpoints available, their methods, parameters, and other details, and you also document sample responses from the endpoints.

From practice to documentation. Business process documentation best practices recommend keeping in mind the expectations generated.

If there is an effort to document it, it is because it is on the agenda for future improvements. Align it well with senior company management to avoid disappointing results; this is an important function of documentation.

API Documentation Best Practices, by Andrya Feinberg In the world of Technical Communication, Content Strategy, User Assistance, Information Architecture, and User Experience, there have always been best practices and industry standards.

API design. 01/12/; 28 minutes to read Contributors. all; In this article.

Tools like Swagger can generate client libraries or documentation from API contracts. For example, see douglasishere.com Web API Help Pages using Swagger.

More information. Microsoft REST API Guidelines. Detailed recommendations for designing public REST APIs. The Best API Documentation. improving not only their experience of writing API clients but the quality of the clients written a real (if simple) product making real calls to your API to accomplish its goals.

This is your chance to show off best practices for using your API, which should include things like caching, client data storage. Web APIs that are cleanly-designed, well-documented, and easy-to-use are rare.

Here’s how to design a great web API that is much more likely to be adopted and used.

Best practices in writing api documentation