API Specifications vs Ad Hoc Documentation

Developers should learn API specifications to ensure consistency, interoperability, and maintainability in API-driven systems, such as microservices, web applications, and integrations meets developers should use ad hoc documentation when rapid prototyping, debugging, or collaborating in agile settings where formal documentation would slow down progress. Here's our take.

API Specifications

Nice Pick

Developers should learn API specifications to ensure consistency, interoperability, and maintainability in API-driven systems, such as microservices, web applications, and integrations

Pros

• They are essential for documenting APIs for internal teams or external partners, automating testing and validation, and facilitating collaboration in distributed development environments
• Related to: rest-api, graphql

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Ad Hoc Documentation

Developers should use ad hoc documentation when rapid prototyping, debugging, or collaborating in agile settings where formal documentation would slow down progress

Pros

• It is particularly useful for capturing transient knowledge, such as workarounds, experimental findings, or team discussions, to prevent information loss
• Related to: documentation-writing, agile-methodologies

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. API Specifications is a concept while Ad Hoc Documentation is a methodology. We picked API Specifications based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

API Specifications wins

Based on overall popularity. API Specifications is more widely used, but Ad Hoc Documentation excels in its own space.