Please Develop An Embeddable Open Source Visual API Editor

This is a repeat story of one I wrote two years ago, but things haven't changed so I'm going to rant about again, 2017 style. We need someone to develop an open source, visual API design editor. There is the Swagger Editor, but that is more a web IDE, and I'm looking for a well designed, intuitive, visual editor for managing your OpenAPI definitions, that is embeddable and easily integrated into any web or mobile system.

There are examples of nice visual API design editors with some of the leading API service providers, but I'm looking for something any API service provider could put to work. I included these examples in my last story, except I'm including Stoplight this round instead of Gelato, because they gave me an upgrade my account message, and wouldn't let me see the interface. These are currently my favorite three API design editors:

  • Restlet - A design, deployment, management service provider.
  • APIMATIC  - An SDK, API definition transformer, and continous integration provider.
  • Stoplight - An API design, definition, documentation, and orchestration provider.

I enjoy using all three of their API design interfaces. They are well thought out and provide what you need to design new APIs, as well manage the design of your existing APIs. While they are doing a good job at this, it is something I'd like to see standardized, and open sourced, so that other service providers do not have to reinvent the wheel here. We shouldn't have to use a different API design interface for each service we depend on, we need a common editor, making things more familiar. 

Ok, rant over. This is something I'll keep talking about until there is a solution. Oh, I have to say, I am impressed with what the Materia team has done for API design on the desktop. Between them and Stoplight, there has been positive motion forward. I'm just looking to give things another nudge and help folks understand the opportunity. I'll explore possible business models for such a solution in another post, and keep beating this drum until I get what I want.