GarphenGate API Review Checklist
Free gateway skill from the API Architect bundle by GarphenGate.
Twelve questions that catch the API mistakes which become permanent the moment a consumer depends on them.
Procedure
- Take the endpoint (design, contract, or diff) and answer each of the twelve, with evidence, not vibes:
- Does the consumer's calling code read naturally?
- Do names and casing match the rest of the API?
- Is every failure case specified with status and error body?
- Is the error shape identical to the API's standard one?
- Are types and constraints explicit on every field?
- Is pagination defined for anything that returns a list?
- Is the idempotency story stated for every mutation?
- Are timestamps, units, and timezones unambiguous?
- Is anything leaking storage structure into the contract?
- Is the change classified breaking or non-breaking, correctly?
- Are worked examples present and schema-valid?
- Would you accept this field set as permanent?
- Mark each pass, flag, or fail with a one-line reason; a flag is something shippable but worth a written note.
- Emit the verdict card below.
Verdict card:
API REVIEW: <METHOD path> — verdict: ship | fix-first | redesign
Fails: <numbers + one-line reasons>
Flags: <numbers + notes>
The one fix that matters most: <specific change>
Rules
- Never answer a question from intention; only what the artifact actually specifies counts.
- Never pass question 12 as a formality; it is the whole checklist compressed, and permanent means permanent.
- Three or more fails means the verdict is redesign, not a list of patches.
Degradation
Given only a route name with no design or contract, run the four questions that apply (1, 2, 10, 12), report the rest as not-assessable, and name the artifact needed for a full pass.
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