Once the APIs are developed, socialising the API within the developer community is an additional challenge. The APIs have a lifecycle where they go through changes. Keeping up with the latest changes and maintaining the versions of the offline documents goes out of control, and we generally end up with multiple offline versions of the documentation for the same API.
With different team members involved, the documentation always takes a different shape and form. This presents another set of challenges for the Developers representing the Consumer side of the APIs. A hassle-free onboarding of the APIs requires consistent and latest documentation to be published in a central repository where the developers can explore the API, understand the usage patterns and use cases and test the potential data exchange scenarios before deciding on the consumption patterns.
The OpenAPI Explorer App provides these capabilities packaged as a neat UX App. The App is fully embedded in TRIRIGA and is developed using the ReactJS framework.
The App acts as a repository of the API and aids in the discovery and onboarding of the APIs. The App enables a true sense of self-discovery and takes away countless hours of workshops and assessments to onboard APIs in Consumer systems.
OpenAPI Specifications
The OpenAPI Explorer App renders the APIs in compliance with the OpenAPI specifications. For further collaboration with other industry standard tools, the API specifications can be exported in an OpenAPI-compliant “json” file.
The OpenAPI specifications are auto-generated by the ExpressConnect platform during the publishing process. This removes any need to manually create the documentation and the requirement to keep the documents up to date.
Data Models and examples
Each API definition features a detailed Data model definition and specific examples. The OpenAPI Explorer App will dynamically keep the data model and the API definition up to date as and when changes are published for any APIs.
A future roadmap capability will enable the generation of examples utilising live data from the specific environment.
Security schema
The OpenAPI Explorer details the various security schemas supported by the API for the specific TRIRIGA environment.
Developers can utilise the security schema to authenticate with the target environments in real time and utilise the connection for invoking the APIs for trial and testing purposes. Developers can use the “Try It” option to connect to a pre-defined server and explore actual data.
Constructor for Operators
The OpenAPI Explorer App features a constructor for Query and Hint Operators. Developers can utilise the self-service option to explore the syntax of the operators.
Developers can use this feature to shorten the learning curve for the API query syntax.
Client Code
Developers can construct the API use cases utilising the required operators and view the client code in the available languages detailing the selected use case; for example, any selected headers or query operators are dynamically embedded in the client code samples.
API Test Runs
Developers can test the APIs in real time. They can utilise the security schema, connect to the target server, test run the APIs, and explore the responses right from within the Explorer App.
Developers can simulate various exception use cases and preview the responses (including exceptions) to help configure the required handling in the client tools.