API Documentation
Creating API Documentation for Versioning and Deprecations
This prompt helps engineering teams write API documentation that effectively communicates versioning and deprecation policies. It focuses on outlining changes, providing migration guides, and ensuring developers can transition seamlessly between versions.
Responsible:
Engineering/IT
Accountable, Informed or Consulted:
Engineering, Product
THE PREP
Creating effective prompts involves tailoring them with detailed, relevant information and uploading documents that provide the best context. Prompts act as a framework to guide the response, but specificity and customization ensure the most accurate and helpful results. Use these prep tips to get the most out of this prompt:
Review the API’s versioning strategy and any recent or upcoming changes.
Gather a complete change log, including details about deprecations and breaking changes.
Prepare migration plans and code examples for developers transitioning between versions.
THE PROMPT
Help create API documentation that communicates versioning and deprecation details for [specific API or endpoint]. Focus on:
Versioning Overview: Recommending structure, such as, ‘Provide a clear overview of the API versioning strategy, including semantic versioning conventions and how versions are accessed (e.g., via headers or URL paths).’
Change Logs: Suggesting detailed logs, like, ‘Document changes for each version, specifying new features, bug fixes, or breaking changes with examples of their impact on existing integrations.’
Deprecation Notices: Including advanced warning, such as, ‘Provide a timeline for deprecated features, including their end-of-life date and alternative solutions.’
Migration Guides: Proposing transition aids, like, ‘Create step-by-step guides to help developers upgrade from older versions, including code snippets, best practices, and tools for testing.’
Backward Compatibility: Recommending considerations, such as, ‘Explain backward compatibility for existing endpoints and scenarios where developers might encounter compatibility issues.’
Provide a structured plan for API documentation that ensures developers are informed about versioning and deprecations and equipped to manage changes effectively. If additional details about version history or transition plans are needed, ask clarifying questions to refine the documentation.
Bonus Add-On Prompts
Propose strategies for managing and documenting multiple active API versions.
Suggest methods for automating changelogs and deprecation notices in the API documentation.
Highlight techniques for ensuring developers are notified of updates and breaking changes.
Use AI responsibly by verifying its outputs, as it may occasionally generate inaccurate or incomplete information. Treat AI as a tool to support your decision-making, ensuring human oversight and professional judgment for critical or sensitive use cases.
SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE
Focus on documenting versioning strategies for REST APIs or GraphQL APIs.
Include tips for integrating version-specific documentation into interactive platforms like Swagger.
Propose ways to implement automated notifications about deprecations using API headers.
Highlight tools like Postman for testing changes across multiple API versions.
Add suggestions for providing downloadable migration guides or code libraries for developers.
WHEN TO USE
During or before releasing new API versions or deprecating old features.
To help developers transition smoothly between versions without breaking functionality.
When maintaining APIs with long-term support and multiple active versions.
WHEN NOT TO USE
For APIs that are unlikely to change or do not require versioning.
If the versioning strategy or deprecation policies are undefined.