Writing Usable APIs

Questions by Craig Nicol in September 2016

What’s the worst thing an API has done to you?
What’s the first thing you check when evaluating the use of a new API?
What’s the first thing you do when developing a new API?
Do you approach developing APIs internally differently to one for the public?
How do you make an API foolproof?
How much structure should an API have? Does it need a contract? (see SOAP vs REST)
How should you change an API?
How should you retire an API?
Which stakeholders need input to API upgrades and changes, and how do you engage them?
How do you keep an API consistent if you grow it via tests?
Do bug fixes necessitate a new version?
How do you isolate your application from an insecure API?
How do you isolate your application from an unreliable API?