Future API Developer eXperience is Chatbots driven

One size fits none approach in documentation and Developer Experience (DX). Companies are now fine tuning static solutions which are in separate space often materialized as Developer Portals. Some provide code examples which is seen as top developer experience at the moment. All this is about to change soon. Chatbots and analytics will be the game changer.

Learn about developers

Winning API DX will be learning about developers by utilizing learning analytics and artificial intelligence. Developer profiles will be constructed and updated from the analyzed information. Based on that profile personalized developer experience is offered. This will be the end of static developer experience and one size fits all (none).

Provide contextual support and onboarding

Winning API DX will use Chatbots. Developers do not want to read documentation, they do not want to leave team environments such as Slack unless it’s absolutely necessary. This is why API DX has to be offered in chat environments. It will significantly lower the barrier to learn about new APIs and how it works.

What API Chatbot in practice is? It is based on natural language processing eg. developers can use ordinary sentences when interacting with the bot. Chatbot is integrated to Chat -based team environments such as Slack and Flowdock, but can be used also via Facebook Messenger. With chatbot developers can for example get information about API methods and endpoints as well as code examples how to use given API.

Benefits in a nutshell

Chatbot based support will enable contextual support, scale your API support to next level, offer easy on-boarding route.

APIBot in APInf roadmap. Details about APIOps meetup at Futurice which contains APIBot presentation.