Collection

API design guidance

Guidance on designing, building and running application programming interfaces (APIs), as well as standards for delivering the best service to users.

• From: Central Digital and Data Office
• Published: 15 February 2019
• Last updated: 11 July 2022 — See all updates

APIs let applications talk to each other and share data. This document collection provides information on how to set up an API service.

Standards

• API technical and data standards
  • 19 July 2024
  • Guidance

API technologies

• Using GraphQL for your API
  • 6 October 2021
  • Guidance

Managing APIs

• Defining an API management strategy
  • 30 December 2021
  • Guidance
• Managing APIs to meet user needs
  • 17 December 2020
  • Guidance
• Managing your API discovery
  • 27 November 2020
  • Guidance
• Managing your API alpha
  • 27 November 2020
  • Guidance
• Managing your API beta
  • 27 November 2020
  • Guidance
• Managing your live API
  • 27 November 2020
  • Guidance
• Setting API service levels
  • 16 January 2019
  • Guidance
• Get an API domain on GOV.UK
  • 19 January 2021
  • Guidance

Documenting APIs

• Documenting APIs
  • 17 January 2022
  • Guidance
• Writing API reference documentation
  • 15 February 2019
  • Guidance

Archived documents

• API technical and data standards (v1 - 2018)
  • 7 February 2018
  • Guidance

Published 15 February 2019
Last updated 11 July 2022 + show all updates

1. 11 July 2022

   Updated to link to new version of API Technical and Data Standards

2. 6 October 2021

   Added new section "API technologies" containing GraphQL guidance.

3. 27 November 2020

   Updated Collection to include new guidance on managing APIs

4. 1 August 2019

   Updated with API technical and data standards (v2 - 2019)

5. 15 February 2019

   First published.