Api-specification
Updated: October 26, 2024 / Status: unknown / 2 min read (~365 words)
API Technical Requirements
- Overview
API Name: Name of the API
Purpose: Briefly describe what the API does and its primary use case
Version: Version of the API (e.g., v1.0)
Contact Information: Name and contact details for the API owner or development team
- Architecture
API Type: REST, GraphQL, SOAP, etc.
Protocol: HTTP, HTTPS, gRPC, etc.
Format: JSON, XML, etc.
Authentication: Type of authentication required (e.g., OAuth3, API Key, JWT)
- Endpoints
Each endpoint should include:
Endpoint URL: The URI path (e.g., /users, /products/{id})
HTTP Method: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc.
Description: What the endpoint does
Request Parameters:
Path Parameters: (e.g., /users/{id})
Query Parameters: (e.g., ?sort=asc)
Header Parameters: Authorization, Content-Type, etc.
Body Parameters: JSON schema, example payload
Responses:
Success Response: HTTP status codes (e.g., 200, 201), response structure, and examples
Error Responses: Possible error codes (e.g., 400, 404, 500), error message structure, and examples
- Data Models
Entities: Describe each data entity the API interacts with (e.g., User, Product)
Schema: Attributes of each entity, including data type, format, constraints (e.g., username: string, required)
- Rate Limits & Throttling
Limits: Requests per second or minute
Quota: Daily or monthly usage limits
Back-off Strategy: Recommended approach for handling rate limits (e.g., exponential back-off)
- Security
Authentication: Details on token handling, expiry, and renewal
Authorization: Describe any role-based or permission-based access control
Data Encryption: SSL/TLS requirements, encryption standards
Data Privacy: Handling of sensitive data (e.g., PII, GDPR compliance)
- Error Handling & Logging
Error Codes: List of standardized error codes with descriptions
Error Structure: JSON schema for error responses (e.g., {"error": "Invalid request", "code": 400})
Logging: Required logging (e.g., request logs, error logs), logging levels, and storage location
- Performance & Scalability
Latency Requirements: Expected response time per request
Concurrent Connections: Maximum connections the API can handle simultaneously
Caching: Use of caching (e.g., Redis), caching strategy (TTL, caching headers)
Load Balancing: Load balancing techniques (round-robin, least connections)
- Monitoring & Alerts
Monitoring: Tools and metrics (e.g., API latency, error rates)
Alerting: Thresholds and notifications for critical issues
- Documentation & Support
Swagger/OpenAPI: Availability of Swagger, OpenAPI, or other API documentation
Client Libraries: Languages or SDKs available for client integration
Support: Details on support channels (e.g., email, Slack, forums)