Individual APIs should be aligned with overall operational change, providing a common operational change log and road-map that is higher level than change for each individual API, but provides a common context across all APIs, teams, and lines of business--keeping everyone in alignment.
API Change is Managed Relative to Operational Change
Policies
Created Date for APIs.json Contracts
Providing the data in which an API contract was created, establishing the inception of a specific contract involving one or more APIs, which defines the age of the contract.
Modified Date for APIs.json Contracts
Providing the data in which an API contract was last modified, tracking the change that occurs with each API contract, understanding the velocity as well as stagnation of APIs.
Road Map
Providing a simple yet informative look at what features are being planned for future releases of an API, or even sharing that nothing is currently being planned--just providing any insight on what...
Change Log
Having a change log of anything added, updated, or removed for an API, but also for the other operational and supporting resources for each API, ensuring there is a easy to read manifest of what ha...
Versioning
Providing semantic or date-based versioning for an API, offering an overview of what is adopted for an API and why, letting consumers know that their is change management in place and how they can ...
Experiences
Alignment
Achieving alignment between teams producing APIs and their consumers is a persistent challenge in API operations. Effective collaboration between business and technical stakeholders requires ongoin...
Change
Managing and effectively communicating changes across one or more APIs is a leading cause of instability and friction in enterprise operations. While these changes often surface in applications use...
Communication
Consistent communication about the production and consumption of APIs is critical for effective enterprise governance. APIs are inherently difficult to visualize, making it essential to invest in m...
Consistency
Achieving consistency in the design, delivery, and maintenance of HTTP APIs across an enterprise is a significant challenge—one that often complicates API operations. Small differences, such as var...
Quality
The quality of HTTP APIs powering an enterprise tends to decline as the number of ungoverned APIs grows across internal, partner, and public landscapes. Low-quality APIs lead to poor downstream exp...
Reliability
If an API isn’t reliable, consumers will eventually look for alternatives. Reliability starts with the platform and infrastructure where the API is deployed, but it also depends heavily on the pace...
