Presenters

Source

🚀 OpenAPI 3.2 is Here: Tagging Gets a Major Upgrade! ✨

Hey API developers! Excitement is buzzing in the OpenAPI world with the release of version 3.2! This isn’t just a minor bump; it’s packed with improvements designed to streamline your workflow, enhance API representations, and unlock powerful new possibilities, particularly around tagging. Let’s dive into what’s new and why you should be paying attention.

🛠️ What’s New in OpenAPI 3.2? The Big Stuff

OpenAPI 3.2 isn’t just about polishing; it’s about adding significant functionality to keep pace with the ever-evolving landscape of APIs. Here’s a breakdown of the core improvements:

  • Sequential Media Types: Say goodbye to limitations! OpenAPI 3.2 significantly expands support for complex media types, allowing for richer and more flexible API representations beyond simple JSON or XML. This opens the door for more nuanced data structures and improved API design.
  • Optional Discriminator with Default Behavior: Dealing with polymorphic APIs (responses that can vary based on a type) can be tricky. OpenAPI 3.2 introduces an optional discriminator with a default behavior, making these APIs safer and easier to handle. This fallback provides clarity when the client isn’t sure what type it’s interacting with.
  • Staying Current with Web Standards: OpenAPI 3.2 keeps pace with modern web technologies by incorporating new security and HTTP standards. This ensures your APIs remain compatible and accurately represented.

💡 Improvements & Clarifications: A Smoother Developer Experience

Beyond the big features, OpenAPI 3.2 focuses on refining the developer experience.

  • Crystal-Clear Examples: More useful and well-documented examples are a key focus, making it easier for developers to understand and implement your APIs.
  • Query String Support: Enhanced handling of query string parameters in polymorphic APIs gives you more granular control.
  • Vendor Collaboration: A strong push is being made for vendors to update their tooling to fully support OpenAPI 3.2. This is crucial for widespread adoption and seamless integration.

👾 The Huge Update: Tags Get a Serious Makeover!

Okay, let’s talk about the real game-changer: Tags! As the speaker eloquently put it, “Tags as a feature has been unchanged as far as I can tell since swagger 2.0.” That’s a big deal. This update moves tags far beyond simple documentation navigation.

Here’s what’s new and why it’s so important:

  • summary Field: Just like summary and description fields exist for other OpenAPI objects, tags now have their own summary field. This allows for more effective display of tags in list views, improving overall clarity.
  • Introducing kind – Categorizing Tags for Everything! This is massive. The kind field allows you to categorize tags beyond just documentation. Think lifecycle status (deprecated, experimental), audience (partner-only, admin), or even code generation.
    • nav (The Default): Represents the traditional documentation navigation use.
    • Custom Kinds: Unleash Your Creativity! The community is encouraged to define and register custom kind values. A registry has been created to avoid ambiguity and promote interoperability. This means you can tailor tags to your specific needs.
    • Nesting: Hierarchical Organization. Tags can now be nested, allowing for a more organized and structured tagging system. But be warned: “If you create circular references or par refer to parents that don’t exist or whatever, it probably won’t work. And I am not sorry."
  • The Goal: To provide a flexible and extensible tagging system that can be used for a wider range of purposes. As the speaker emphasized, we need tags for “lifecycle, audience, and code generation.”

🌐 Resources to Get You Started

Ready to explore OpenAPI 3.2? Here’s a collection of valuable resources:

🎯 Final Thoughts & A Call to Action

OpenAPI 3.2 represents a significant step forward for API development, especially with the transformative updates to tagging. The speaker’s enthusiasm was palpable, highlighting the potential for this release to streamline workflows and unlock new possibilities. As with any new technology, widespread adoption takes time.

  • Embrace Modernization: Update your tooling and embrace newer versions of OpenAPI to benefit from these improvements.
  • Community Involvement: The initiative welcomes your input! Reach out to the OpenAPI Initiative if you have questions or suggestions for the next version.
  • Patience & Persistence: Let’s work together to make OpenAPI 3.2 a success!

We’re excited to see how you use these new features! Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. ⬇️

Appendix