How To Design A Good API and Why it Matters

Google Tech Talks
January 24, 2007

ABSTRACT

Every day around the world, software developers spend much of their time working with a variety of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Some are integral to the core platform, some provide access to widely distributed frameworks, and some are written in-house for use by a few developers. Nearly all programmers occasionally function as API designers, whether they know it or not. A well-designed API can be a great asset to the organization that wrote it and to all who use it. Good APIs increase the pleasure and productivity of the developers who use them, the quality of the software they produce, and ultimately, the corporate bottom line. Conversely, poorly written APIs are a constant thorn in the developer's side, and have been known to harm the bottom line to the point of bankruptcy. Given the importance of good API design, surprisingly little has been written on the subject. In this talk, I'll attempt to help you recognize good and bad APIs and I'll offer specific suggestions for writing good ones.

This talk is part of the Advanced Topics in Programming Series at Google.

Google engEDU
Speaker: Joshua Bloch

• Category

  Education

[Mr0519nattolei]

あいうえおかきくけこさしすせそたちつてとなにぬねのはひふへほ­まみ

[Thomas Davis]

Hey guys, we are working on a tool to help design great api's. Currently taking early invites apiengine.io

[aditya menon]

If he's trolling, he's a master-level player :D

[Thomas Davis]

For anyone interested, we are working on a tool to make API design more efficient, collaborative and robust.

apiengine.io - we are taking early registrations for beta!

[Stijn van Drongelen]

The color codes were a conscious choice about the presentation. I argue that it is a bad choice, especially when the presentation is about clarity.

[gulgrim]

I'd just like everyone else who reads this man's comment to understand that he is, in essence, kvetching about someone having the audacity to use red to indicate bad, and green to indicate good.

That's right. It has absolutely no bearing on this video whatsoever.

[Stijn van Drongelen]

19:00 With deuteranopia having a 5% incidence in white males, and an audience having a large fraction of white males, this is probably the worst color coding scheme imaginable.