API Documentation
API documentation is a set of human-readable instructions for using and integrating with an API.
API documentation includes detailed information about an API's available endpoints, methods, resources, authentication protocols, parameters, and headers, as well as examples of common requests and responses. Effective API documentation improves the developer experience for private, partner, and public APIs, but it also offers distinct benefits for each API type. For instance, private API documentation improves cross-team collaboration, while public API documentation makes it easier for leaders to understand a third-party API's intended use case and determine whether it will help advance their organization's business goals. Teams that prioritize API documentation typically see higher rates of API adoption, fewer support tickets, and—in the case of public APIs—increased revenue. Here, we'll start by discussing the role that API documentation plays in an API-first world. Then, we'll review the key components of API documentation, as well as some API documentation best practices.
Finally, we'll explore how the Postman API Platform enables producers to create API documentation that sets their consumers up for success.
API-first is a development model in which applications are conceptualized and built by composing internal or external services that are delivered through APIs. This approach not only enables teams to build highly performant applications that are powered by an intricate web of microservices, but also complements the API-as-a-Product strategy, in which APIs are offered as billable products to third-party consumers. An increasing number of organizations are therefore adopting the API-first strategy to help them systematically develop high-quality APIs that advance business objectives in myriad ways.
API documentation plays a crucial role in ensuring the success of any API—whether it's private or public. For instance, internal API documentation facilitates cross-team collaboration, reduces code duplication, and streamlines the onboarding process for new employees. These benefits ensure that every team is able to work efficiently towards the end goal of delivering excellent software to users. In contrast, public API documentation helps potential consumers understand and experiment with an API, which leads to increased adoption and, by extension, revenue. In fact, Postman's 2022 State of the API report indicates that documentation is one of the top four things leaders consider when deciding whether to integrate with a third-party API.
