API Requirements 1739248111141
API Requirements 1739248111141
As A Business Analyst
Diwakar Singh
Define API Purpose and Business Context
Example:
• Business Case: An e-commerce platform needs an API to
integrate with a payment gateway.
• API Purpose: The API should allow users to make secure
payments via multiple payment methods.
• Why it’s a Best Practice: This ensures that technical teams
understand the business motivation and scope before
development starts.
Specify API Consumers and Stakeholders
Example:
• API Consumer: The "Order Management System" will call
the API to fetch real-time order status from the "Logistics
System."
• Why it’s a Best Practice: Helps define security, response
format, and scalability needs.
Specify API Consumers and Stakeholders
Best Practice: List all API endpoints with their functionality.
Example:
Why it’s a Best Practice: Helps developers and testers understand the
API structure, reducing ambiguity.
Provide Detailed Request and Response Schema
Best Practice: Document expected request parameters and response
formats in JSON/XML.
Example:
Request for Creating an Order (POST /orders)
{
"customerId": 12345,
"items": [
{ "productId": "P001", "quantity": 2 }
],
"paymentMethod": "credit_card"
}
Provide Detailed Request and Response Schema
Response
{
"orderId": "ORD789",
"status": "Confirmed",
"estimatedDelivery": "2025-02-15"
}
Why it’s a Best Practice: Reduces API errors due to incorrect inputs.
Define Authentication & Authorization Requirements
Best Practice: Document security measures such as OAuth, API keys,
or JWT tokens.
Example:
• Authentication: OAuth 2.0
• Required Header: Authorization: Bearer {token}
• Access Control: Only admin users can call DELETE
/orders/{orderId}
Why it’s a Best Practice: Prevents unauthorized access and aligns with
security best practices.
Document API Rate Limits and Performance Expectations
Best Practice: Define rate limits to prevent misuse.
Example:
• Rate Limit: 1000 requests per hour per user
• Response Headers:
X-RateLimit-Limit: 1000
X-RateLimit-Remaining: 750
X-RateLimit-Reset: 2025-02-10T12:00:00Z
Why it’s a Best Practice: Helps prevent server overload and ensures
fair usage.
Define Error Handling & Status Codes Clearly
Best Practice: Standardize error messages with HTTP status codes.
Example:
Example:
• v1 → Initial version
• v2 → Introduces a new field discountCode in order requests
• URL format: /api/v1/orders
Example:
• Swagger URL: https://api.example.com/docs
• Postman Collection:
https://www.getpostman.com/collections/xyz123