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Changing the API design because a frontend dev doesn't like the style is definitely an anti-pattern. Customising APIs for every imaginable use case will get pai

Changing the API design because a frontend dev doesn't like the style is definitely an anti-pattern. Customising APIs for every imaginable use case will get painful fast! Angular does have powerful services to transform objects. For example last week a library (ngTagInput) was expecting a list of objects with {id, name} however the server was returning a list of integer id's. It was trivial to replace the id with the {id, name} object in the service, without requiring changes to either the library or the back end - the API is still generic.

plaguuuuuu 11y ago
APIs should be designed such that the total effort to build both sides of the equation is minimised. APIs are, after all, designed for consumption - you can return data in any number of formats - eg a proprietary binary format, or whatever, but if your consumers find it hard to use, then the API sucks. End of story.
- mettamage 11y ago
  Curious to what extent you stand by this statement -- as an exploration not a refutation ;) So lets stretch it to the limits. Lets create an API for a non-programmer. For example, lets allow him to make a survey in iOS. You could, for example, create an Excel file -- lets assume these non-programmers know Excel a bit. One column could designate a template, another column could be used for the question. Perhaps a column for materials (e.g. video files or images). I guess the point is clear, you could make columns that do something specific in the app. Add some documentation and presto, you have an API for non-programmers :) The Excel file itself could be given to a programmer who implements it or it could be uploaded to some automated process that spits out an iOS app. A rudimentary version could for example attach some pre-specified views with some questions and images. What do you think, is it possible to create an API for non-programmers via some software that they do know?

plaguuuuuu 11y ago

APIs should be designed such that the total effort to build both sides of the equation is minimised. APIs are, after all, designed for consumption - you can return data in any number of formats - eg a proprietary binary format, or whatever, but if your consumers find it hard to use, then the API sucks. End of story.

mettamage 11y ago
Curious to what extent you stand by this statement -- as an exploration not a refutation ;) So lets stretch it to the limits. Lets create an API for a non-programmer. For example, lets allow him to make a survey in iOS. You could, for example, create an Excel file -- lets assume these non-programmers know Excel a bit. One column could designate a template, another column could be used for the question. Perhaps a column for materials (e.g. video files or images). I guess the point is clear, you could make columns that do something specific in the app. Add some documentation and presto, you have an API for non-programmers :) The Excel file itself could be given to a programmer who implements it or it could be uploaded to some automated process that spits out an iOS app. A rudimentary version could for example attach some pre-specified views with some questions and images. What do you think, is it possible to create an API for non-programmers via some software that they do know?