Design and Build Great Web APIs

Learning from Frank Gehry’s Sketches

When I start work on translating my API design into working code, I always like to start with small, simple examples that I can put together in just a few minutes. This helps me work out just how I’ll convert the design into an API without getting too wrapped up in editing code, loading libraries, and all the other details that are needed for real running code.

I got the idea of using time-saving sketches from a talk by Ronnie Mitra called “The Art of Effective API Design.”^[45] In his talk, Mitra introduced me to the way celebrated architect Frank Gehry uses sketches to test out his design ideas for physical buildings. For Gehry, sketches are a way to quickly work out possibilities and test ideas ...