Using Documentation-Driven Design to Guide API Decisions

Using Documentation-Driven Design to Guide API Decisions

摘要

As software design evolves, so do the thought processes behind the design decisions we make as engineers. Some of these development practices are widely known and talked about, such as Test-Driven Design, where changes to code are made in programmatic tests before they’re implemented in actual business logic.

These design practices are helpful for our future selves and for our teammates, because they help us keep our code well-maintained and easily extendable. How do these practices help external audiences, or audiences that aren’t as technical, understand our code? When designing a new API or making impactful changes to an existing API, a Documentation-Driven Design approach can be helpful in guiding the design decisions you make, too.