Creating Your First API Project

Now that you understand the fundamentals of API design, it's time to set up your workspace. An API project in Apidog is a container that organizes all your API design work, including multiple API modules, tests, and documentation.

Before you start designing endpoints or creating schemas, you need a project to work in. In this chapter, we'll learn how to create a new API project, understand its structure, and organize your API modules. We'll use the Pet Store User module as our example.

1. What Is an API Project?

An API project in Apidog is a workspace that contains three main sections:

APIs

Contains one or more modules

Each module corresponds to one OpenAPI Specification (OAS) file

Each module contains:

Endpoints — Your API endpoints (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc.)

Schemas — Data models for your API

Components — Reusable components (parameters, request bodies, responses)

Tests

Test scenarios and test cases

Automated testing configurations

Documentation

API documentation pages

Published documentation

Key concept: A project can contain multiple modules. Each module is a separate OAS file, allowing you to organize different APIs or API versions within the same project.

2. Creating a New API Project

Let's create a new API project for the Pet Store User module.

Step 1: Start Creating

In the Apidog main window, click the "+ New Project" button at the top right

Select the project type: HTTP (for REST APIs like our User API)

Note: Apidog also supports gRPC projects, but for REST APIs, choose HTTP.

Step 2: Configure Basic Information

Enter project name: "Pet Store API" (or "Pet Store User API" if you prefer)

Add description (optional): "API for managing user accounts in the Pet Store system"

Including Examples (optional): You can check this to start with sample data, but for our tutorial, we'll start from scratch

Step 3: Complete Creation

Click "Create" to create your project. Apidog will open the new project, and you'll see an empty project structure.

3. Understanding Modules

When you create a project, Apidog automatically creates a default module in the APIs section. A module is a container that corresponds to one OpenAPI Specification (OAS) file. Each module contains endpoints, schemas, and components.

Organizing Within a Module

Within a module, you can organize endpoints and schemas using folders:

In the APIs section, navigate to your module

Right-click (or click the ➕ icon) to create folders

Organize your structure like this:

APIs/
  └── Pet Store API Module/
      ├── Endpoints/
      │   └── User/
      │       ├── User Management/
      │       └── Authentication/
      └── Schemas/
          ├── User
          └── UserPreferences

Folder organization:

Endpoints/User/ — Contains all User-related endpoints

User Management/ — CRUD operations (create, get, update, delete)

Authentication/ — Login and logout endpoints

Schemas/ — All your schemas (User, UserPreferences, etc.)

Multiple Modules

You can create multiple modules in one project:

Different API versions (v1, v2)

Different services (User API, Order API, Payment API)

Different environments (Development, Production)

Each module is a separate OAS file, but they're all managed within the same project.

4. Importing Existing APIs (Optional)

If you already have an OpenAPI/Swagger specification file, you can import it:

Click "Import Project" (or the ➕ icon → Import)

Choose the import type: OpenAPI/Swagger

Upload your file or paste the specification URL

Apidog will automatically parse and import:

Endpoints

Schemas

Components

Documentation

Use cases for import:

Migrating existing API documentation to Apidog

Starting from an existing OpenAPI file

Collaborating with teams that already have specifications

5. Key Takeaways

Creating and configuring an API project is straightforward:

API projects contain three main sections: APIs, Tests, and Documentation

APIs section contains modules, and each module corresponds to one OAS file

Each module contains endpoints, schemas, and components

Create projects from the main window using "+ New Project"

Organize with folders within modules to keep your API structure clear

Multiple modules allow you to manage different APIs or versions in one project

Now that your project is set up, you're ready to start the design process. In the next chapter, we'll learn how to analyze requirements and plan your API—the crucial step that ensures your API meets real needs.

Let's continue with Analyzing Requirements and Planning Your API.

Creating Your First API Project

1. What Is an API Project?#

APIs#

Tests#

Documentation#

2. Creating a New API Project#

Step 1: Start Creating#

Step 2: Configure Basic Information#

Step 3: Complete Creation#

3. Understanding Modules#

Organizing Within a Module#

Multiple Modules#

4. Importing Existing APIs (Optional)#

5. Key Takeaways#

1. What Is an API Project?

APIs

Tests

Documentation

2. Creating a New API Project

Step 1: Start Creating

Step 2: Configure Basic Information

Step 3: Complete Creation

3. Understanding Modules

Organizing Within a Module

Multiple Modules

4. Importing Existing APIs (Optional)

5. Key Takeaways