API Delivery

Build, test, and release APIs using modern delivery pipelines and engineering best practices.

Outcomes

• APIs implemented using tested frameworks and patterns

Related metrolines

• API Design Line
• Delivery Line

Why it matters

Even the best API designs fail if delivery is inconsistent. This station ensures your APIs are built with quality, tested thoroughly, and deployed reliably — enabling faster iterations and greater confidence.

Entry criteria

• The API architecture uses patterns that promote reusability and integration, and is validated with stakeholders.
• The goal of the API is to hide backend data models and discrepancies.
• The API’s design and endpoints have a clear connection to their business value and features.
• API has a consistent design with our other API products.

Exit criteria

• The API architecture uses patterns that promote reusability and integration, and is validated with stakeholders.
• The API’s design and endpoints have a clear connection to their business value and features.
• The API and its endpoints have descriptions that explain their business value and features.
• API has a consistent design with our other API products.
• The API contract is tested and meets functional and non-functional requirements.

How it works

1. Use established frameworks and libraries to implement APIs, ensuring they are reusable and maintainable.
   API Development Best Practices Guidelines promoting consistent, maintainable API codebases using standard libraries, reusable patterns, and aligned development workflows.
2. Apply contract-first or design-first approaches to ensure API contracts are validated before implementation.
   Contract First Design A guideline advocating for API-first approaches using formal contracts (e.g., OpenAPI) to align stakeholders before development.
3. Test APIs for functionality, security, and performance using automated testing tools.
   API Testing Best Practices Guidelines for implementing automated functional, performance, and security testing throughout the API lifecycle.
4. Use CI/CD pipelines to automate build, test, and deployment processes, ensuring consistent quality and traceability.
   APIOps CI/CD For APIs Deployment guidance that integrates API lifecycle tasks—design, testing, governance—into continuous integration and delivery pipelines.
5. Ensure APIs meet security and compliance requirements through automated checks and audits.
   API Security Best Practices A set of actionable controls for securing APIs, including authentication, authorization, encryption, rate-limiting, and pipeline-level compliance checks.
6. Use the API Audit Checklist to ensure the API meets functional and non-functional requirements, including security, performance, and compliance.
   API Audit Checklist A comprehensive checklist to verify API readiness before publishing, covering design, documentation, security, and policy compliance.

Apply in your work

Deliver coding frameworks, libraries, and standards for API implementation. Implement CI/CD pipelines, quality assurance frameworks, and deployment automation tools.