In the world of web development, creating an API that users will love involves more than just providing access to data. It requires thoughtful design, efficient performance, and a clear understanding of user needs. In this talk, we'll dive into the principles of designing and building APIs that prioritize user experience. From choosing the right PHP tools to implementing RESTful practices and documentation, we'll explore the key components of a developer-friendly API. Whether you're building an API for internal use or external consumption, this session will provide you with the insights and strategies to create an API that delights your users. Or at least make them more likely to pay for your product.

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Every time I see a good API talk, I want to build a new service *just* so I can implement all of the great API knowledge I've just (re-)learned. This talk is no exception: Chris covers the basics of HTTP verbs, status codes, and versioning in a way that pulls from personal experience yet is approachable enough for engineers of all levels.

Ben Ramsey at 15:27 on 21 May 2025

This was a great talk from Chris, who has a very engaging style and good rapport with the audience. The key takeaway for me is the focus on customer needs and providing value to them: "You are paid to write a useful API for users, not shift work to them."

Thank you for the talk. I wish there was a way to force API designers to follow your rules because I'm sick of 200 status codes that return an "error" message.

Chris knocked this talk out of the park! Great API talk with loads of real-world experience shining through.

Andrew Easton at 13:26 on 22 May 2025

great talk on how to make apis respond properly with http codes, etc. additionally blended in well coming off the previous talk

Dana Luther at 15:37 on 22 May 2025

This really paired well with Ben’s talk. The detailed explanations really added a lot of value and were clear to follow. This is another one that I’d really like to make mandatory viewing for anyone whose API we are consuming.