Web API Documentation and OpenAPI

Every time you use your phone or computer, you’re using software. Often, that software is making requests on a network using what are called web APIs, or Application Programming Interfaces. There are many thousands of these APIs, with more being developed every day. All these APIs need thorough and up-to-date documentation—that’s where technical writers come in.

In this seminar, we will introduce you to APIs and look at examples of API documentation in the wild. We’ll focus on web APIs and how they’re used to transfer networked resources. You’ll learn about concepts such as API calls, endpoints, parameters, and HTTP methods. We’ll discuss the OpenAPI specification and how OpenAPI tools are used in documentation. At the end of this seminar, you’ll walk away with an increased understanding of how you can contribute to API documentation as a technical writer, along with a pathway toward further learning.

The seminar outline is as follows:

Part 1: Web API Documentation

• What are APIs?
• Why learn API documentation?
• API docs examples & common topics
• How APIs work
• HTTP methods, requests, and responses
• API endpoints
• API demo
• Use cURL to interact with an API
• Use Postman to interact with an API

Part 2: OpenAPI

· What is OpenAPI?
· OpenAPI description format
· JSON vs YAML
· Using OpenAPI in documentation

STC members $5
Non-members $10

PAY HERE