API Contract Design

Core Workflow

1. Identify API consumers, use cases, resource model, auth context, and compatibility constraints.
2. Define endpoints or methods with request fields, response fields, status codes, errors, pagination, filtering, sorting, and idempotency.
3. Specify validation rules, defaults, field ownership, and backward-compatible evolution rules.
4. Separate public contract from implementation detail.
5. Include examples and edge cases that clients can test against.
6. Flag open decisions and review needs before implementation.

Safety Rules