HOW TO EVALUATE AN API! 
(without writing a line of code) 
Adam DuVander @adamd :! 
! 
! 
Ultimate Developer Event 2014
Your Typical Developer 
Claire Thompson
Claire Thompson
Felipe Venâncio
Ray Devlin
Ray Devlin
API Sniff Test 
D 
Documentation
API Survey
API Sniff Test 
D 
Documentation
API Sniff Test 
D 
Documentation 
C 
Client Libraries
API Sniff Test 
D 
Documentation 
C 
Client Libraries 
B 
Blog Posts
API Sniff Test 
D 
Documentation 
C 
Client Libraries 
B 
Blog Posts 
A 
About Page
Ray Devlin
Areas for Full Evaluation 
Control 
Reliability 
Security 
Longevity
Infrastructure APIs
Content APIs
Application APIs
CONTROL
Can We Build It? 
Em Tom Hughes-Croucher 
Yes We Can! But do we need to?
Can We Touch It? 
Dave Lawler
Their Biggest Competitors 
API C1 C2 C3
Their Biggest Competitors 
API C1 C2 C3 
C0
Look for Standards/Conventions
Lucene Query Syntax 
(apis OR api) AND nordic 
topic:apis AND country:sweden 
days:[1 TO 3]
Client Library Abstractions 
db.get('collection', 'key') 
db.put('collection', 'key', { “data”: “goes here” })
Client Library Abstractions 
db.get('collection', 'key') 
db.put('collection', 'key', { “data”: “goes here” })
Data Export
Data Export 
your data in 
your data out
Bulk Downloads
Bulk Downloads
RELIABILITY
Twitter’s SXSW Downtime
API Survey
What Downtime?
Goals of a Status Page 
Be Transparent 
Be Helpful 
Be Proactive
Provides Status Updates
Shows Current API Health
Shows Current API Health
Shows Current API Health
Shows Recent Issues and Downtime
Shows Recent Issues and Downtime
SECURITY
Their Systems 
Scott Schiller
James Stewart
Security Standards 
Eran Sandler
Privacy
Process for Data Access 
Thomas Guest
Shares Best Practices
Data Ownership
LONGEVITY
LaptopMag
LaptopMag
API Business Models 
John Musser — bit.ly/apibizmodels
33+ Dead GoogleAPIs
“If longevity comes up short, 
fall back on control.” 
– @adamd at Ultimate Developer Event
PERSONALITY 
** BONUS **
Ray Devlin
Felipe Venâncio
4+ Ways to Evaluate an API 
Control: Look for as much as possible 
Reliability: Transparent, proactive, helpful 
Security: Systems, processes, best practices 
Longevity: Does the biz model make sense? 
Personality: Let me show you mine @adamd

How to Evaluate an API Without Writing a Line of Code