5 ways to test APIs for breaking changes
Bill Doerrfeld | August 1, 2024
No developer likes an API that breaks. Breaking changes are changes made to APIs that cause some kind of disruption on the integration side.
Thankfully, there are ways you can test for breaking changes in APIs, using methods like specification-based diffing, contract testing, functional testing, performance monitoring, following developer-centric communications, and other tactics.
I recently wrote up a summary of various methods and tools for testing APIs for breaking changes on the
Treblle blog. Give it a read
here! I especially enjoyed using oasdiff to compare OpenAPI Specification definitions — that tool is awesome.
Other Blog Posts
My latest DirectorPlus edition interviews Shopify's head of engineering, Farhan Thawar, on their unique internal engineering culture.
Neoclouds promise cheaper GPUs and AI-optimized infrastructure, but can they really challenge hyperscalers? My feature on InfoWorld explores their advantages, risks, and likely role in AI compute.
My latest for LeadDev interviews IBM's Neel Sundaresan on how to prevent a decades-old issue in software engineering.
The latest advancement in identity and access management (IAM) is something called zero standing privilege. It's a response to new agentic AI risks.
Big surprise: it's way easier to generate new code with AI than to reuse old code. But what are the long-term effects?
Agentic coding tools have become the default. "When we've taken that away accidentally from people, they scream."
My latest for LeadDev considers how engineering leaders should respond in the wake of uncertainty in the AI model market.
I'm working with Zuplo on some new content around their MCP Gateway release. First up: a deep comparison of MCP gateways on the market!
The constant barrage of AI layoffs is overshadowing the economic reasons behind these cuts, as well as the net-positive talent redistribution happening at large.
My latest for InfoWorld reviews MCP servers and agent-ready tools for connecting AI agents with popular database styles.
