I’m currently reviewing the Marvel Comics API, and their approach to making their rich content available via a simple web API.
They did a great job deploying the API. To start with they published very simple and honest getting started steps:
- Sign Up - Get an API key
- Be A Good API Citizen - Read, understand, and abide by the terms of use for the Marvel Comics API
- Link Back - Observe the attribution and linking guidelines when displaying data from the API
- Keep In Touch - Tell us about what you're building and talk to other developers on our community page
- Build Cool Stuff!
I like their style. As a building block, getting started pages are pretty important, yet most API providers provide very dry, technical steps for on-boarding with an API—if at all.
The Marvel Comics API is a refreshing approach to explaining to developers how to get up and running with the API. Its nice to see from such a big brand.