Anna Tsolakou & Gaël Imperial (Amadeus): How to release an API with developers in mind

This talk was presented at the API The Docs Amsterdam 2023 conference on 6-7 June. We are glad to present the video recording and the talk summary.

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Anna and Gaël's presentation (video recording)

In the demo you can hear about:

• The importance of good API documentation and how to make it better:
  • use the same tool as the user to check the documentation before releasing it,
  • use tags to make a step-by-step guide for the user,
  • add working examples to help the developer make their first API call,
  • be consistent.
• Commercial aspects of releasing a public API:
  • think about what the customer is looking for, and take time to choose a name for the API
  • create an offer that is attractive, and start with a higher price at the beginning
• The role of connectivity: use a pre-production environment to create a discovery offer  
• Best practices for communicating a new API release:
  • think about the different places where you can communicate the API release (e.g., your developer portal, newsletters, events),
  • map out the target audience.
• The role of developer guides and tools and keeping them up to date, so the user will know what they can expect. 
• Advanced strategies for improving developer experience.

Takeaways

• Considering different aspects of developer experience makes a difference.
• Consistency is key for creating a familiar environment across products.
• Communication should be tailored to the target audience of different platforms.
• Developer guides can provide technical documentation or industry-specific educational materials.
• Tools and guides such as video tutorials make it easier for developers to adopt APIs.