Leveling up API Docs

What is the next step for API documentation?

Even if something has documentation, it does not mean it is easily understood. I stumbled on Mintlify over the weekend and fell in love with the docs you can produce. With OpenAPI type generation tools providing linting and types, I leave the IDE to read endpoint docs less.

When I reach for visual docs, it's for the recipes or cookbooks of specific flows within an API. Documentation is an art of technical storytelling that not everyone is great, but tools like Mintlify can help get us there.

-- Alexander

Alfred AI: The Ultimate API Assistant

Alfred AI is a cutting-edge, AI-powered assistant designed to revolutionize API documentation, discoverability, and integration. Alfred automates manual workflows, for faster API integrations and a superior developer experience.

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The API Round-Up

How To Generate an OpenAPI Spec With FastAPI

Learn how to configure FastAPI's OpenAPI spec generation to be more usable and cross-compatible with industry tools. The interactive docs page gives a step-by-step guide, holding your hand the entire way.

Behind the Code: A Discussion with Backend Experts

Sentry has put a killer event together for the 17th of July, featuring a fantastic lineup to talk all things backend. Topics will range from the impact of APIs on modern software development to building scalable and secure databases. Speakers from Sentry, Supabase, Prisma, Node and the founder of Larvel.

Visualizing algorithms for rate limiting

Every API needs rate limiting; as I am writing this, I can't think of one where you wouldn't, maybe an internal API... Anyway, settle in for an engaging read with beautiful visuals on the different algorithms you can use and the implications of each.

An interactive study of queueing strategies

Over the last few years, Sam Rose has produced some of the most visually engaging blog posts I have ever seen, and his latest on queueing is no exception. Sam covers the reason for needing ques, different approaches and types, and how they compare. It is a beautiful read with incredible interactive visuals.

How to Setup Serverless Framework with AWS and Node.js

Serverless is a great framework for building serverless applications, such as API powered by Lambda functions on AWS. In this walkthrough, you will learn how to deploy and set up Serverless on AWS using NodeJS. I love it when people provide great configuration walkthroughs so I can stop getting frustrated when AWS docs are lacking.

Node.js is Here to Stay

Over the last few years, Node.js has had a lot of competition, first Deno and now Bun. Personally, I find this competition to be a good thing, driving much-needed discussions and pushing Node forward. In this post, Matt explains why Node is here to stay and provides some facts to back it up.

Speakeasy: Build APIs Your Users Love

Your API deserves a great developer experience. Get one by using Speakeasy to generate idiomatic, type-safe SDKs from OpenAPI

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APIs You Won't Hate

The latest from the team at API's You Won't Hate.

OpenAPI.tools

Are you looking for modern tools to work with OpenAPI? Check out the most up-to-date list driven by the community. It offers the best high-quality list of tools around.

From Our Community

Articles written and shared in our free Slack community.

What makes a good REST API?

This is a great share from one of our community members, Simon Curcke. Simon walks us through what makes a good REST API, covering areas such as design, OpenAPI spec, validation, and more. Thanks for the share, Simon.

Hacking APIs with HTTPie

Dana's API articles on hacking are always a great read, teaching me things I had never considered learning. In this article, Dana discusses his go-to tool for API exploration and testing of HTTPie and how he uses it to hack APIs.

Thanks so much to our members: Kin L, Juxt, Vedran C, Alex R, Nolan S, Frank, James D, and Bill D. Your support means the world to us!

Until next time,

Alexander, Phil & Mike