Apiary
Apiary is an API design tool, that places design before development (design-first). It uses a human readable description format, called API Blueprint, which the company maintains as an open-source project.
It is possible up a simple mock-server, based on the API description file. Collaborators can view the description file on Github, provide feedback, and participate in the design before committing to full-scale development.
Apiary also maintain several command line tools for API testing and validation.
Common features
Apiary platform supposts, at least, the following features.
- Community - Apiary features center around Github, which allows social interaction around the API design process
- Documentation - Apiary designed and maintained their own API documentation specification: API Blueprint
- Sandboxing - Apiary provides a basic mock-server scaffold
- Testing - Apiary has a traffic inspector tool that can be used for testing/debugging. They also provide a open-source tools for testing and validating API structure and responses.
Licensing & Openness
The primary Apiary platform is proprietary. However, Apiary does maintain an assortment of open-source utilities related to API design and testing.
Type of product
Apiary is primarily a design tool, with some basic testing functionality.
Lifecycle management
The Apiary tool would be primarily relevant in the discovery, design, and revision stages of the API lifecycle.
Programming languages / technologies
It is difficult to say what the proprietary components of Apiary consist of. However, the open-source tools seem to be based around CoffeeScript, YAML, and C++.
UI
Strengths
Simple, human-focused design tool. Community oriented.
Weaknesses
- Proprietary platform.
- Designed own API description format.