Hypermedia, REST, SOAP... It's not a matter of 'why' anymore but rather of 'how'. Still, once your API is all set up, getting developers to use it is a real challenge. A challenge you should be ready to rise to as your API can eventually be its own channel for product adoption. How to make sure developers know about your API, that they use it efficiently and finally, that they love using it.

1. Getting Developers
hooked on your API
@nico_g

2. Nicolas Garnier
self-taught developer
@nico_g
@nico_g

3. @nico_g
~15,000 APIs
(ProgrammableWeb)

4. @nico_g
Different kinds of APIs

5. @nico_g
One thing in common

6. @nico_g
US!
One thing in common

7. @nico_g
Developer Experience
code application

8. @nico_g
code application
Developer Experience
UX

9. @nico_g
code application
Developer Experience
DX

10. @nico_g
Simplicity
What are we looking for as
users?

11. Developer Experience
matters
Journey to developer
Adoption
@nico_g

12. @nico_g
Is it easy to
use?

13. @nico_g
Is it easy to
understand?

14. @nico_g
Is it adapted to my
audience?

15. @nico_g
You are not
alone.SOAP REST
Hypermedia
GraphQL FalcorJS

16. @nico_g
SOAP
REST
Hypermedia
GraphQL FalcorJS

17. @nico_g
Treat APIs like
products

18. @nico_g
What really matters is
affordance & consistency

19. @nico_g
Affordance
/pets/$ID

20. @nico_g
Affordance
GET /pets/$ID

21. @nico_g
Consistency
POST /foods

22. @nico_g
API designers != end users
API

23. What devs expect
@nico_gBeginner Expert
How does it
work?
Performance
design
Performance
Many languages
API reference
Community
Simplicty
Quickstart
Support
Wow effect Examples

24. @nico_g
time
difficulty
supportdev
Bad DX

25. Possible solution
@nico_gDeveloper Evangelists
Support
Public doc
Community
Developers
SEO

26. First impression matters
@nico_g
Documentation

27. @nico_g
Documenting your API is
easy

28. @nico_g
Swagger.io
Top-down
1. Create a Swagger
definition of your API
2. Generate Server
implementation
1. You already have a
REST API
2. Generate the Swagger
definition
Bottom-up

29. @nico_g

30. @nico_g

31. READING DOCS
@nico_g
LOL

32. ⌘C + ⌘V
@nico_g
PRAG-MA-TISM

33. @nico_g
Don’t forget anyone
Code snippets

35. @nico_g
Don’t forget anyone
Code snippets User guides

36. @nico_g

37. @nico_g
Don’t forget anyone
Code snippets User guides Sample app

39. @nico_g
Don’t reinvent the wheel
apiary
readme.io
slate

40. Don’t reinvent the wheel

41. @nico_g

42. @nico_g
metadata
code generator
templates

43. @nico_g
…

44. @nico_g

45. @nico_g

46. @nico_g
Paw-some!

47. @nico_g

48. @nico_g

49. Developer Evangelist
@nico_g
What my friends think I do What my mom thinks I do What society thinks I do
What my boss thinks I do What I think I do What I actually do

50. Developer Evangelist
@nico_g
Connect with devs
and help them make
the most of Mailjet
APIs
Share knowledge
at conferences,
meetups &
hackathons
Design and provide
sample code for
developers to
make their use of
the API easy
work on fun projects
to show that you can
do more with Mailjet
than sending basic
emails

51. Where to start?
@nico_g
Dev focused web page
API reference
Examples
Languages and libraries
Easy navigation
Getting started
API Monitoring
Possibility to contribute

52. @nico_g
Questions?
ngarnier@mailjet.com

53. @nico_g
Thanks.
ngarnier@mailjet.com