Top 10 API Worst Practices

Adam DuVander, August 3rd, 2012
Comments(4)

We try to stay positive at ProgrammableWeb. We’ve talked a lot about the keys to a great API, but not so much about what some of the lesser APIs do. And, with a directory of over 6,000 APIs, you’d better believe we’ve seen some worst practices.

Poor error handling
REST APIs that ignore HTTP rules
Exposing your raw underlying data model
Security complexity
Unexpected and undocumented releases
Poor developer experience
Expect an MVC framework “gives” you a great API
Assume if you build it they will come
Inadequate support
Poor documentation

Many of these issues came up in the developer survey that said Facebook causes the most developer pain.

For other tips on the positive side, see what makes a great API.

Photo by Richard Riley

Tags: Issues, Popular

Subscribe:RSS Twitter Facebook

« Previous post
Five Keys to a Successful App Challenge

Next post »
Best New Mashups: July Roundup Featuring Twitter, Foursquare and Wikipedia

Both comments and pings are currently closed.

4 Responses to “Top 10 API Worst Practices”

August 3rd, 2012 at 10:37 am

Comment by: John Sheehan

Reinventing authentication!

August 3rd, 2012 at 10:38 am

Comment by: John Sheehan

I suppose that falls under ‘Security complexity’

August 5th, 2012 at 7:00 pm

Comment by: Link Roundup – August 5, 2012 | Enterprise Information Management in the 21st Century

[...] An ever-evolving list of worldwide stores of Linked Open Data, primarily from governments… Top 10 API Worst Practices (Programmable Web) – How to ensure that a newly-published API is not used… Five Keys [...]

August 6th, 2012 at 6:04 pm

Comment by: 10 Tech Stories To Read This Week – August 7 Edition » iRomin

[...] API Worst Practices: You probably know about the best practices for an API but what about the worst ones? This article gives you the list. [...]