# API Engineering

> API Engineering

- Skill: `weirdgme/api-engineering` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 5 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add weirdgme/api-engineering`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/weirdgme/api-engineering/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Integrations & APIs
- Author: weirdgme (https://skillmd.com/u/weirdgme)
- Updated: 2026-09-21
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/weirdgme/api-engineering

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# API Engineering

Guide to API design patterns, GraphQL, gRPC, API gateways, rate limiting, and versioning strategies.

**Note:** This is a foundational version. Community contributions welcome to expand coverage!

## Purpose

Enable teams to design, build, and maintain robust, scalable APIs.

## When to Use This Skill

Automatically activates when working on:
- REST API design and best practices
- GraphQL schema design
- gRPC service definition
- API gateway configuration (Kong, Ambassador)
- API versioning strategies
- Rate limiting and throttling
- API security (OAuth2, JWT)

## Quick Start Checklist

- [ ] Define clear API contract (OpenAPI/GraphQL schema)
- [ ] Implement authentication/authorization
- [ ] Add rate limiting
- [ ] Version your API
- [ ] Document endpoints
- [ ] Implement error handling
- [ ] Add request validation

## Resource Files

- **[rest-api-design.md](resources/rest-api-design.md)** - RESTful principles, resource modeling, HTTP methods
- **[graphql-patterns.md](resources/graphql-patterns.md)** - Schema design, resolvers, N+1 problem, DataLoader
- **[api-versioning.md](resources/api-versioning.md)** - URI versioning, header versioning, strategies
- **[rate-limiting.md](resources/rate-limiting.md)** - Token bucket, sliding window, distributed rate limiting

## Best Practices

✅ Follow RESTful principles
✅ Use proper HTTP status codes
✅ Version your API from day one
✅ Implement rate limiting
✅ Validate input thoroughly
✅ Document with OpenAPI/GraphQL introspection
✅ Use API gateways for centralized concerns

## Integration Points

- **backend-dev-guidelines**: API implementation
- **documentation-as-code**: API documentation
- **devsecops**: API security
- **cloud-engineering**: API Gateway services

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🎯 SKILL ACTIVATED: api-engineering
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**Total Resources:** 4 foundational guides (community can expand!)
**Status:** Basic coverage - contributions welcome