During the 2020 API Specifications Conference, influential members of the OpenAPI community gathered to discuss the people and processes that keep OpenAPI Initiative running smoothly.
Collaboration between diverse companies is one of the most remarkable aspects of the OpenAPI community. Competitors realize the importance of creating a standardized description for APIs, and band together to accomplish a shared goal. In a recent discussion, influential community members celebrated OpenAPI’s accomplishments and reflected on its journey,
The talk featured:
- Neal Caidin, Program Manager at The Linux Foundation
- Marsh Gardiner, Product Manager at Google
- Ole Lensmar, Chief Architect at SmartBear
- Darrel Miller, Principal Program Manager at Microsoft
- Lorna Mitchell, Senior Developer Advocate at Nexmo, Vonage API Platform
Mitchell discussed how implementing OpenAPI descriptions into her work has improved developer experience, helped internal development and allowed non-technical developers to better understand the content. She also provided insight into how developers can contribute to OpenAPI.
Any developer can join the Technical Developer Community, and participate in the community. This is a great place to ask questions, and share knowledge. On the other hand, the Technical Steering Committee (TSC) is composed of elected members that make high-level decisions to ensure OpenAPI operates smoothly. Gardiner and Miller are both part of the TSC, and discussed some of the difficulties associated with adding new features to OpenAPI.
The OpenAPI specification must meet the requirements of developers, but also be accessible to newcomers. Balancing functionality and complexity is a delicate act, and the TSC is often wary of adding unnecessary features. However, they listen to the community, and respond when there is rising interest in a particular subject.
For more information on how to contribute to the OpenAPI Initiative, visit the website!
- Participate in TSC weekly web conferences
- Become a member of the OpenAPI Initiative
- Watch the video recording of the OpenAPI is People! session