The Evolution of API Tools
The way we build APIs has changed dramatically over the last 15 years, and the tools we use have evolved to match that shift. Understanding this history helps us appreciate why modern tools work the way they do.Phase 1: The "Code-First" Era (2000s - 2015)#
In the early days of SOAP and early REST, the workflow was predominantly Code-First.1.
Developer writes the backend code (e.g., in Java or PHP).
2.
Developer manually writes a Word document or a Wiki page to explain how to use it.
3.
Tooling: Mostly primitive. Curl for testing. Browsers for GET requests.
4.
Problem: Documentation was always out of sync. The code changed, but the Wiki didn't.
Phase 2: The "Client" Era (2015 - 2020)#
As APIs became products, dedicated API Clients like Postman rose to prominence.1.
Developers needed a way to save and organize their requests.
2.
Sharing collections became a way to "document" the API.
3.
Tooling: Postman, Insomnia, SoapUI.
4.
Problem: These tools were great for calling APIs, but not necessarily for designing them. They were buckets of requests, not a structured specification.
Phase 3: The "Design-First" & Spec Era (2018 - Present)#
The industry converged on the OpenAPI Specification (OAS) (formerly Swagger) as the standard.1.
Design-First: Teams started writing the YAML/JSON spec before writing code.
2.
Tooling: Swagger Editor (for writing), Swagger UI (for viewing), Redoc.
3.
Problem: Fragmentation. You needed one tool to edit the YAML, another to mock it, another to test it (Postman), and another to host the docs. This "toolchain tax" slowed teams down.
Concept: A Single Source of Truth.
Tooling: Platforms like Apidog. You define the API once (Design), and the platform generates the Docs, the Mock Server, and the Test Cases automatically from that definition.
Benefit: If you change the design, the mocks and tests update automatically.
Summary Trends#
| Aspect | Past | Present |
|---|
| Workflow | Code-First | Design-First |
| Documentation | Manual Wiki | Auto-generated from Spec |
| Ecosystem | Disconnected Tools | Integrated Platforms |
| Focus | "Just make it work" | Developer Experience (DX) |
Key Takeaways#
Code-First is outdated; Design-First is the modern standard.
The industry is shifting from isolated tools (Postman + Swagger UI) to Integrated Platforms (Apidog).
Modified atΒ 2025-12-29 04:29:15
