The OpenAPI Community
I am taking a moment to recalibrate my chess board for the OpenAPI community, and there is no better way for me to accomplish this than to write a story here on the blog. I have several folks I am ...
Stories from 2021
Stories about the technology, business, policies, and people of APIs.
The OpenAPI Community
I am taking a moment to recalibrate my chess board for the OpenAPI community, and there is no better way for me to accomplish this than to write a story here on the blog. I have several folks I a...
Design-First, Prototype-First, or Code-First APIs
I strongly believe in a design-first approach to delivering new APIs, and future iterations of existing APIs. Having an OpenAPI artifact to guide discussions, services, and tooling saves you time, ...
Being Transparent By Default and Over Communicating When Doing API Specifications
I forget what a great vehicle API Evangelist for sub-tweeting conversations that I see occurring across the API universe. I made a career out of doing this for the last decade, taking a moment to ...
Needing Inspiration to Care About APIs?
I always enjoy when I have the opportunity to light up someones imagination when it comes to APIs. I have had a couple of conversations with folks recently who had never heard about APIs until they...
Open Tech Partnership with APIMATIC
We have some great partnerships occurring within the Postman ecosystem. You can tune into storytelling from our developer relations around how we are partnering with Salesforce, Stripe, and other l...
A Blueprint for Hands-On API Storytelling
I am spending a lot of time studying and profiling how my teams at Postman do what they do. Last week I wrote a piece on how AsyncAPI is moving forward their specification out in the open, and this...
Some Thoughts on API Governance
API governance is a massive subject that takes regular work to make sense of and to be able to successfully articulate to others. With the growing number of APIs and microsservices in use across en...
Using Postman Visualizer as a Data Editor
I use and abuse the Postman platform for a lot of things it wasn’t designed for. In the same way that I have used and abused the Github platform for things it wasn’t designed for over the last five...
API Management to API Gateway and Beyond
It has been a while since I stepped back to assess the world of API management. API Evangelist was founded on the premise of studying and understanding API management, so it makes sense after a dec...
Starting Simple in the Overwhelming World of API Governance
The world of API governance can be pretty overwhelming when it comes to trying to figure out where to get started. Almost everyone I talk to, beginner and expert, has a difficult time getting their...
The Relationship Between OpenAPI and Postman Collections
I found myself talking about the relationship between OpenAPI and Postman Collections again today, and whenever I repeat a story like this I try to capture it here on the blog so I can scale my sto...
Can the API Portal Keep up with Change?
Building on my thoughts around the evolution of API documentation from a couple weeks back I repeatedly find myself questioning whether the current notion of the API portal will be able to keep pac...
Core Strengthening API Governance
When I engage with folks around API governance it inevitably centers around design governance applied at design time—focusing as far left as possible on the API lifecycle. Occasionally you find som...
Postman /me API Experimentation
I was doing my regular check-in with my partner in crime over in Postman devrel Joyce Lin (@PetuniaGray), and she reminded of the concept of a /me API, and Abhinav Asthana’s (@a85) vision that the ...
API Specifications Update for September 22nd, 2021
The evolution of OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, and JSON Schema is important to what I do at Postman, but also to the wider API space. I find it helpful to understand what is happening across each of the API...
The Evolution of API Documentation
One area of the API lifecycle that I struggle with helping folks understand the evolution of, is documentation. This fundamental aspect of how we produce and consume APIs has continued expand prett...
Building an API Platform That Will Support the Future
This is just one post in a massive queue of blog posts that are in my head following Abhinav’s post last week about The New Postman API Platform: Redefining API Management for the API-First Worlda&...
Working to Bring More Women and People of Color Into the API Specification Conversation
If you have worked within the world of API specifications you know that, like the rest of the technology sector, it is men, especially white men that are dominating the conversation. When it comes ...
What Are the Rules of API Design Governance?
I am iterating upon some API design governance collections and an essential element of two of these collections are the linting rules. Little modular but machine readable rules that describe a spec...
A Mix of Blueprints for the API Lifecycle
I am been doing a lot of research into what the API lifecycle can be, pulling together what I’ve gathered over recent conversations, but then also working to lay the foundation for driving the next...
OpenAPI Governance Using Rule-Based or Script-Based Approaches
I have been spending more time investing in my collection-based approach to applying governance to OpenAPI definitions. I have had several collections for using Postman’s testing capabilities to “t...
JSON Schema Adoption
I have been getting to know the JSON Schema community since Ben Hutton joined my team at Postman. One of the things I’ve been working to make more time to do is profile who has adopted JSON Schema....
API Specifications Update for September 8th, 2021
The evolution of OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, and JSON Schema is important to what I do at Postman, but also to the wider API space. I find it helpful to understand what is happening across each of the API...
API Specifications Update for September 1st, 2021
The evolution of OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, and JSON Schema is important to what I do at Postman, but also to the wider API space. I find it helpful to understand what is happening across each of the API...
API Specifications Update for August 25th, 2021
I try to stay up to speed with what is happening across the leading API specifications each week. The evolution of OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, and JSON Schema is important to what I do at Postman, but als...
The Stripe Public API Workspace
I regularly have to pinch myself regarding the different APIs that I get to work with each day at Postman. One of the public API Providers I get to work with on a regular basis is the Stripe team w...
What Is HTTPBin and What Can You Do with the API?
I recently became the owner of the request and response service HTTPBin. I am in exploratory mode regarding what is needed when it comes to the operation of this very interesting API. As with all ...
The Data Agency Registry
I have had a side project going with Pascal Heus , my partner in data crime over at Metadata Technology North America (MTNA) for a a few months now called the Data Agency Registry. It is an Jekyll ...
The API Lifecycle for New or Active APIs
One of the limitations of the recent research I have been doing around the API lifecycle is that the lifecycle begins with the import or creation of an OpenAPI. In a perfect utopian world this make...
API Specifications Update for August 6th, 2021
I try to stay up to speed with what is happening across the leading API specifications each week. The evolution of OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, and JSON Schema is important to what I do at Postman, but als...
The Dimensions of the API Lifecycle
Ok, I’ve gotten my recent immersion in thinking about the API lifecycle to a place where I think I want to put it to work on an actual API. I spent some on a draft OpenAPI extension to help guide m...
Enabling the API Lifecycle with the Postman Platform
I have been working to define the lifecycle of an OpenAPI defined API, and working establish a way to talk about, but also describe in a machine readable way the lifecycle of an API. One of the rea...
An OpenAPI Lifecycle Extension
Multiple API universes collided recently resulting in me spending some more time on defining what the API lifecycle is. A couple months back I asked a bunch of folks in my Twitter timeline what the...
API Specifications Update for July 30th, 2021
I try to stay up to speed with what is happening across the leading API specifications each week. The evolution of OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, and JSON Schema is important to what I do at Postman, but als...
Seeing API Change
The API landscape within any enterprise organization is ever changing and evolving, and with APIs being such an abstract and often undocumented aspects of organization work, it can be very difficul...
The Different Ways to Engage with the OpenAPI Specification
I am spending time thinking about the big picture of how each of the leading API specifications are operating, and trying to find the best way to communicate the different ways people in the commun...
Different Types of API Infrastructure All Working in Concert
API is a pretty catch all acronym for what is happening across the enterprise these days. I haven’t been writing enough here on the blog to help me separate the layers of the API onion as I work ea...
The Different Ways to Engage with the OpenAPI Specification
I am spending time thinking about the big picture of how each of the leading API specifications are operating, and trying to find the best way to communicate the different ways people in the comm...
Business-First API Design and Development
I spend a lot of time thinking about API-first design and development, where you craft an OpenAPI definition, mock, document, and iterate upon the design of an API before you develop it. An API-fir...
My Oracle vs Google API Copyright Journey
The Oracle vs. Google API copyright case began as two parts, 1) for patent violations, and 2) for copyright infringement involving the Java API. The jury found Google in violation of copyright law ...
Aligning the API Specification Contribution Process Across OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, and GraphQL
Mike Ralphson (@permittedsoc) suggested that the OAI follow AsyncAPIs lead when it comes to adopting a GraphQL like approach to managing contributions to the specification in the OpenAPI specificat...
When API Examples Become the Real Thing
I am using Postman public workspaces to manage all of my projects right now, and as part of my Postman collection workspace I have a variety of collections where I am bending the concept of how Pos...
A Workspace for Defining the API Lifecycle
I am moving my API lifecycle definition into a public workspace so that I can be a little more disciplined in how I version and move forward. It is a pretty lightweight draft at this point because ...
A Workspace for Defining API-First
Alongside my API lifecycle public workspace I have established an API-first public workspace to help me guide conversations around what is API-first. Like the API lifecycle it is another area we us...
A CSV to JSON File Conversion Postman Collection
I am regularly needing to convert CSV files into JSON, and to help me manually get the job done, as well as automate on a schedule or via the Postman API, I created a simple request for pulling a C...
A Collection To Generate Static APIs Using Postman Mock Servers
I have a lot of little datasets I am organizing for use across a variety of projects. Since Postman has replace Github as my place where I begin all of my API projects, I figured that it could also...
Targeting the Enterprise and Ignoring Developer’s Needs Around a Specific Stop Along the API LIfecycle
From time to time I see folks tweet how they are frustrated with Postman not doing exactly what they want in a particular area of the API lifecycle, letting us know they are moving on to greener pa...
Setting a Baseline API Lifecycle Definition
I find myself on this quest at regular intervals throughout the last decade-—seeking to define what the API lifecycle means. However, this time I am determined to ground myself in a vocabulary and ...
An Event-Driven View of the API Lifecycle
I am continuing my quest to define and visualize the API lifecycle across a diverse API toolbox. I am talking to anyone and everyone I possibly can when it comes getting their take on what the API ...
Working to Visualize the API Lifecycle
It is hard to have a discussion about things we can’t see. Some of us excel at dealing in the abstract, but most people prefer discussion involving more visual and tangible things. One of the criti...
Managing API Change, Discovery, and Documentation Using Bump
I have seen a lot of API service providers come and go over the last decade, and I always appreciate when simple, useful, and purpose built API solutions emerge. I can use up most of my fingers cou...
Postman Will Do for APIs What Github Did for Open Source
I woke up thinking about something Abhinav said recently, “What GitHub did to code, I imagine Postman will do that for APIs, shortening the cycle from using an API to building things with it.” Yes!...
Defining API Security with Eric Sheridan (@eric_sheridan) of WhiteHat Security
I sat down with Eric Sheridan (@eric_sheridan) of WhiteHat Security this week to talk about API security. I have been working with Eric as a partner of Postman for a number of months now, and I fin...
What is Your API Lifecycle?
I like asking questions on Twitter then leaving and coming back to see the great answers people leave. Sometimes I get crickets, but depending on how I phrase the question, and how people interpret...
Using Postman Testing for API Governance
I have been evolving my approach to API governance with Postman since I started working there 1.5 years ago, but recently I am finding more time to invest in how I am “testing” the surface area of ...
Evolving API Deployment to Be More Defined and Observable Using APIs
I love it when someone realizes that APIs have APIs during one of my talks or reading of of my stories. I find that people are so heads down in their daily jobs they don’t have much time to sit bac...
Turning Environmental Data Into a More Usable API
The work with our open data partners over at Metadata Technology North America (MTNA) continues, moving from our last post on CMS healthcare data to working with a variety of environmental datasets...
Turning Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Providers Data Files Into an API
I am working with our open data partners over at Metadata Technology North America (MTNA) to publish a mix of open data APIs across a variety of areas. First up on the list are the providers. We ar...
Learning About Commonly Used Standards and Classifications API with Ariā From Stats New Zealand
I did a marathon series of open data and specification sessions with our partners over at Metadata Technology North America (MTNA) last week, which during one of them I learned about Ariā, where yo...
Deriving Financial Products from the Exhaust of Our Digital Operations Is the next Big API Play
The secret to Amazon’s success is by far the number one story I have ever written on my blog. It was written nine years ago and still out performs other posts. It is also more fiction than most of ...
Nobody Likes Specifications - @jeanqasaur
Jean Yang from Akita Software pinged some of us in the API community with “People don’t like specs. There’s a long history of people not liking specs.” @thatplguy on how we need a new term for [PLA...
Validating the FHIR API Contract as You Use the API and Then Leaving Inline Comments on the OpenAPI
I am working with the OpenAPI for the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR), getting more familiar with the specification as I get strengthen my awareness of the CMS Interoperability an...
Managing Multiple Versions of the UK Open Banking OpenAPIs in a Public API Workspace
I pushing forward the documenting and certifying of UK public APIs in a public workspace. Historically I only had a single OpenAPI definition for each of the six public banking APIs, but as part of...
Open Data Using Postman Collections
I am pushing forward how Postman can be used for public data. I have a whole mess of different data sets I need available for different projects I am working on. For one project I am aggregating te...
Gathering My Thoughts on API Discovery
I am working to load up all my API discovery experiences into my head for some upcoming conversations. So I sat down and pulled together a summary of my API discovery research to date to help refre...
API Storytelling with Mike and Aidan
If you have followed my work you know that I like telling stories. Stories are the single most important tool in my Chief Evangelist and API Evangelist toolbox. None of the code matters in my opini...
Making Sense of the Different Types of API Testing
I have to admit something. I don’t fully grasp the entire landscape of API testing. I mean, I have a pretty decent awareness and experience in testing APIs, but I can’t close my eyes and coherently...
Keeping API Entropy Low is Needed to Continue API Growth and Expansion
I love the word entropy. It means so many things to so many different people. In means different things in the physical realm versus the informational or virtual realms. It is one of those big word...
Examples of Minimum Viable and Complete Landscape APIs.json Index Files
I am preparing for the next version of APIs.json and I am taking another pass over what the specification is, but also taking a fresh look at why the specification exists. Part of this fresh look i...
Evaluating APIs.json API Property Types Alongside OpenAPI Extensions
I am giving some much needed love to my APIs.yaml and API.json API discovery format while using the work to also just think about the wider API landscape. This is the original intent behind APIs.js...
What Does Open Mean in the World of APIs?
The word “open” gets thrown around so much in the API space I find myself needing to regularly ground myself in what it actually means. It gets thrown around in so many different ways that I find e...