An Exploration of APIs, Versioning, & HTTP

There are Web APIs everywhere, from the classic REST/HTTP, to GraphQL, to gRPC, we rely on them to get things done each and every day. But how much do we think about the design of these APIs? How do you document an API once you've created it? What even is versioning? Do we really understand HTTP? In this episode, Kris and the panel are joined by Jamie Tanna to discuss APIs, their design, how to document them, and more.

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Notes:

• Web API Versioning Is Insufficient (08:38)
• http.cat (50:03)
• Please Stop Saying "just" (01:12:01)
• jvt.me/elsewhere (01:13:17)

Table of Contents:

• Intro (00:00)
• Preface (01:13)
  • Introducing Jamie Tanna (01:13)
• Prologue - APIs: The Leaky Kitchen Sink of Software (02:12)
  • This chapter is supporter only content. Subscribe at https://fallthrough.fm/subscribe!
• Chapter 1 - Versioning & Breaking Changes (02:15)
  • What is a breaking change? (02:17)
  • Communicating breaking changes (05:17)
  • APIs as Contracts (08:32)
• Chapter 2 - API: Annoying Perpetual Interface (08:32)
  • APIs require planning (16:52)
• Chapter 3 - Documenting Designs (21:34)
  • Can OpenAPI save us? (21:34)
  • Design through documentation (30:40)
  • Innovation & API/Transport Separation (34:21)
• Interlude - Version 0 Forever! (44:00)
• Chapter 4 - An Exploration of HTTP (44:26)
  • HTTP and it's Status Codes (44:26)
• Chapter 5 - Identifying Identifiers (57:42)
  • How to choose identifiers (57:42)
• Appendix UNPOP - Unpopular Opinions (58:01)
  • Dylan's Unpop (58:46)
  • Jamie's Unpop (01:01:51)
  • Matt's Unpop (01:07:35)
  • Ian's Unpop (01:09:17)
  • Kris' Unpop (01:10:47)
  • Just stop using just (01:12:01)
• Epilogue (01:13:13)
  • Where to find Jamie (01:13:13)
• Outro (01:13:27)

Hosts

• Kris Brandow - Host
• Ian Wester-Lopshire - Host
• Dylan Bourque - Host
• Matthew Sanabria - Host
• Jamie Tanna - Guest

Socials:

• Website
• Bluesky
• Threads
• X/Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Instagram

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:13) - Prologue
• (02:12) - Preface - APIs: The Leaky Kitchen Sink of Software (supporter only)
• (02:15) - Chapter 1 - Versioning & Breaking Changes
• (08:32) - Chapter 2 - API: Annoying Perpetual Interface
• (21:34) - Chapter 3 - Documenting Designs
• (44:26) - Chapter 4 - An Exploration of HTTP
• (57:42) - Chapter 5 - Identifying Identifiers (supporter only)
• (58:01) - Appendix UNPOP - Unpopular Opinions
• (01:13:13) - Epilogue
• (01:13:27) - Outro