API Documentation Generator
Run ID: 69cd30863e7fb09ff16a8cb0•2026-04-01Development
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API Documentation Generator: Architectural Plan

This document outlines the detailed architectural plan for the "API Documentation Generator". The goal is to create a robust, flexible, and professional system capable of generating comprehensive API documentation from various sources, including endpoint descriptions, request/response examples, authentication guides, and SDK usage examples.

1. Introduction

The API Documentation Generator will serve as a critical tool for developers and technical writers, streamlining the process of creating and maintaining high-quality API documentation. By automating much of the documentation process, it aims to improve accuracy, consistency, and efficiency, ultimately enhancing the developer experience for API consumers.

This plan details the core components, data flow, input/output mechanisms, and key modules required to build a powerful and adaptable documentation generation system.

2. Core Components Architecture

The system will be composed of several interconnected modules, each responsible for a specific function, ensuring modularity, maintainability, and extensibility.

2.1. High-Level Architecture Diagram (Conceptual)

mermaid • 417 chars
graph TD
    A[API Definition Sources] --> B(Input Adapters/Parsers)
    B --> C(Internal Data Model)
    C --> D(Documentation Generation Engine)
    D --> E(Templating System)
    E --> F(Output Renderers)
    F --> G[Generated Documentation]
    H[User Configuration/Customizations] --> E
    H --> D
    C -- SDK/Client Code Generation --> I[SDK Usage Examples Module]
    I --> D
    J[Example Data Store] --> D
Sandboxed live preview

2.2. Component Descriptions

  • API Definition Sources: External systems or files containing the API's structure and metadata (e.g., OpenAPI/Swagger files, Postman Collections, code comments).
  • Input Adapters/Parsers: Modules responsible for ingesting and parsing various API definition formats into a standardized internal representation.
  • Internal Data Model: A canonical, language-agnostic representation of the API's structure, endpoints, parameters, schemas, security schemes, etc. This acts as the single source of truth within the generator.
  • Documentation Generation Engine: The core logic responsible for traversing the Internal Data Model, applying business rules, and orchestrating the content assembly process.
  • Templating System: A flexible system allowing users to define the look, feel, and structure of the generated documentation using templates.
  • Output Renderers: Modules that take the processed content from the Templating System and transform it into various output formats (e.g., HTML, Markdown, PDF).
  • Generated Documentation: The final output, ready for deployment or distribution.
  • User Configuration/Customizations: User-defined settings, branding, custom content, and template overrides.
  • SDK/Client Code Generation Module: (Optional, but highly beneficial) A module that can generate client code snippets or full SDKs from the Internal Data Model, which are then integrated into the documentation.
  • Example Data Store: A repository for storing example request/response payloads, headers, and authentication tokens, linked to specific API endpoints.

3. Data Flow

  1. Ingestion: The generator reads API definitions from specified sources (e.g., a local OpenAPI YAML file, a URL pointing to a Swagger JSON, or a Postman collection export).
  2. Parsing: The appropriate Input Adapter/Parser interprets the source file and transforms its content into the Internal Data Model.
  3. Enrichment: The Documentation Generation Engine enriches the Internal Data Model with additional information, such as:

* Fetching example request/response data from the Example Data Store.

* Generating SDK usage examples from the SDK/Client Code Generation Module.

* Applying User Configuration/Customizations (e.g., common headers, base URLs, branding).

  1. Content Assembly: The Documentation Generation Engine uses the enriched Internal Data Model to structure the documentation content logically (e.g., grouping endpoints by tags, ordering parameters, detailing authentication flows).
  2. Templating: The structured content is passed to the Templating System, which applies the chosen documentation templates. This step injects dynamic data into static layouts.
  3. Rendering: The Output Renderers convert the templated content into the desired final format (e.g., static HTML files, a single Markdown document, or a PDF).
  4. Output: The generated documentation is saved to a specified output directory or deployed to a hosting service.

4. Input Sources & Parsers

The system must be versatile in accepting various API definition formats to maximize compatibility.

  • Supported Input Formats:

* OpenAPI/Swagger (v2.0, v3.0, v3.1): JSON and YAML. This will be the primary and most robust input format.

* Postman Collections (v2.1): JSON. Useful for APIs primarily documented and tested in Postman.

* RAML (v0.8, v1.0): YAML. For APIs defined using RAML.

* API Blueprint: Markdown-based format.

* Custom/Code Annotations (Future Consideration): A mechanism to extract API definitions directly from source code comments (e.g., JSDoc, PHPDoc, GoDoc annotations).

  • Parser Modules:

* Each supported input format will have a dedicated parser module responsible for validating the input and transforming it into the Internal Data Model.

* Error handling for malformed input files will be robust, providing clear feedback to the user.

5. Documentation Generation Engine

This is the brain of the generator, orchestrating the content creation.

  • Core Logic:

* Endpoint Processing: Iterating through all defined endpoints, extracting details like path, method, summary, description, parameters (path, query, header, body/form data), request bodies, and responses.

* Schema Resolution: Resolving $ref pointers within OpenAPI schemas to provide a complete view of data models.

* Authentication Flow Description: Generating step-by-step guides for different security schemes (API Key, OAuth2, Bearer Token, Basic Auth), including how to obtain and use credentials.

* Content Ordering & Grouping: Grouping endpoints by tags, paths, or custom categories.

* Markdown/Rich Text Generation: Converting descriptions from the API definition (which might be in Markdown) into the appropriate format for the templating system.

  • Configuration & Customization:

* Global Settings: API title, version, description, base URL, contact information.

* Endpoint Overrides: Ability to add custom descriptions, examples, or hide specific endpoints.

* Branding: Logo, color schemes, custom CSS.

* External Content Inclusion: Ability to embed external Markdown files for "Getting Started" guides, "Troubleshooting," or "Terms of Service."

6. Output Formats & Renderers

The generator will support multiple output formats to cater to different deployment and consumption needs.

  • Primary Output Formats:

* Static HTML Website: A collection of interlinked HTML pages, CSS, and JavaScript files, suitable for hosting on any web server (e.g., Netlify, GitHub Pages, AWS S3).

* Features: Responsive design, search functionality, syntax highlighting for code examples, interactive request/response sections (e.g., allowing users to try out API calls directly from the docs using a proxy).

* Markdown: A single or multiple Markdown files, useful for integration into existing documentation platforms (e.g., GitHub Wiki, Confluence, internal knowledge bases).

  • Secondary Output Formats (Future Consideration):

* PDF: For offline viewing or formal documentation distribution.

* Postman Collection Export: To allow users to import the documented API directly into Postman.

* Custom JSON/XML: For machine-readable API catalogs.

  • Templating System Integration:

* Utilize a popular templating engine (e.g., Jinja2 for Python, Handlebars for Node.js, Liquid for Ruby/Go) to allow for complete control over the output's structure and appearance.

* Provide default themes that are professional, clean, and highly readable.

7. Key Features & Modules

7.1. Request/Response Examples Module

  • Automatic Example Generation: Infer basic examples from schemas (e.g., string types get "example string", number types get "123").
  • Manual Example Overrides: Allow users to provide specific JSON/XML examples for requests and responses, linked by operation ID or endpoint path.
  • Multiple Example Support: Display multiple request/response examples (e.g., success, error, different content types).
  • Code Snippet Generation: Automatically generate request examples in various programming languages (e.g., cURL, Python requests, Node.js fetch, Java OkHttp, Ruby Net::HTTP).

7.2. Authentication Guide Module

  • Dynamic Guide Generation: Based on the security schemes defined in the API definition (e.g., OpenAPI securitySchemes object).
  • Supported Schemes: API Key, OAuth2 (Authorization Code, Implicit, Client Credentials, Password), HTTP Basic, HTTP Bearer.
  • Detailed Instructions: Provide instructions on where to obtain credentials, how to format them (e.g., header name, query parameter name), and how to use them in example requests.

7.3. SDK Usage Examples Module

  • Integration with Code Generation Tools: Leverage existing tools or libraries that can generate client SDKs from OpenAPI specifications (e.g., OpenAPI Generator, openapi-typescript-codegen).
  • Language Support: Generate SDK usage examples for popular languages (e.g., Python, JavaScript, Java, Go, C#).
  • Contextual Examples: Embed relevant SDK code snippets directly within each endpoint's documentation, showing how to call that specific endpoint using the generated client.
  • Installation & Setup: Provide instructions for installing and initializing the SDK.

7.4. User Interface (Optional, but Recommended for Ease of Use)

  • CLI (Command Line Interface): For programmatic usage and integration into CI/CD pipelines. This will be the primary initial interface.
  • Web-based GUI (Future Consideration): A user-friendly interface for configuration, previewing, and triggering documentation generation without command-line expertise.

* Input file upload/URL input.

* Theme selection and customization.

* Live preview of documentation.

* Output format selection.

8. Technology Stack Recommendation

To ensure robustness, flexibility, and a healthy ecosystem for development, the following technologies are recommended:

  • Core Language: Python

* Rationale: Excellent for scripting, data processing, strong ecosystem for parsing (YAML, JSON), templating, and web development. Good for CLI tools.

  • API Definition Parsing:

* pyyaml and json for basic parsing.

* jsonschema for schema validation.

* openapi-spec-validator for OpenAPI specification validation.

* Custom parsers for other formats (Postman, RAML).

  • Internal Data Model: Python dataclasses or Pydantic models for structured, type-hinted data representation.
  • Templating Engine: Jinja2

* Rationale: Powerful, widely used, easy to learn, and highly flexible for generating various text-based outputs (HTML, Markdown, code snippets).

  • CLI Framework: Click or Typer

* Rationale: Robust and user-friendly frameworks for building command-line interfaces.

  • Code Snippet Generation:

* http-client-snippets (or similar library) for generating cURL, Python requests, etc.

* Integration with OpenAPI Generator (via its CLI or a wrapper) for SDK usage examples.

  • Static Site Generation (for HTML output):

* The system will function as a custom static site generator, leveraging Jinja2 directly to build HTML files.

* Consider integrating with tools like MkDocs or Sphinx for advanced features if a pre-existing framework is preferred, but a custom approach offers more control.

  • Styling & UI (for HTML output):

* CSS Framework: Tailwind CSS or Bootstrap for responsive, modern design.

* JavaScript: Vanilla JS or a lightweight framework like Alpine.js for interactive elements (search, tabbed code examples).

9. Scalability, Security, and Maintainability Considerations

  • Scalability:

* The generator will primarily run as a local tool or within a CI/CD pipeline, so traditional web application scalability concerns are minimal.

* Performance will be key for large API definitions; efficient parsing and template rendering will be prioritized.

  • Security:

* Input Validation: Strict validation of input API definition files to prevent injection attacks or malformed data processing.

* Output Sanitization: Ensure that any user-provided content (e.g., custom descriptions) rendered into HTML is properly sanitized to prevent XSS vulnerabilities.

* Dependency Management: Regularly update and audit third-party dependencies for security vulnerabilities.

  • Maintainability:

* Modular Design: Clear separation of concerns between parsers, data model, engine, and renderers.

* Code Standards: Adherence to PEP 8 (for Python), clear documentation, and consistent coding practices.

* Test-Driven Development (TDD): Comprehensive unit and integration tests for all modules, especially parsers and the generation engine.

* Extensibility: Design the internal data model and templating system to be easily extendable for new input formats, output formats, or custom features.

10. Future Enhancements

  • Interactive API Explorer: Integrate a "Try It Out" feature directly into the generated HTML documentation, allowing users to make live API calls.
  • Version Control Integration: Automatically pull API definitions from Git repositories and track documentation versions.
  • Multi-language Support: Generate documentation in multiple human languages.
  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Optimize generated HTML for better searchability.
  • Accessibility (A11y): Ensure generated documentation meets WCAG standards.
  • Webhook Integration: Trigger documentation generation upon API definition changes in a connected repository.

11. Actionable Next Steps

  1. Detailed Specification of Internal Data Model: Define the precise structure of the canonical Internal Data Model (e.g., using Pydantic schemas).
  2. OpenAPI Parser Development: Begin implementation of the OpenAPI 3.x parser, focusing on robust schema resolution and error handling.
  3. Core Generation Engine Logic: Develop the initial logic for traversing the Internal Data Model and preparing content.
  4. Jinja2 Templating Integration: Set up the templating system with a basic default HTML theme.
  5. CLI Development: Implement the basic command-line interface for input, output, and configuration.
  6. Proof of Concept: Generate a simple HTML documentation site from a sample OpenAPI specification to validate the core architecture.
gemini Output

As part of the "API Documentation Generator" workflow, this step focuses on generating the foundational code and structural templates required for comprehensive and professional API documentation. This output provides a detailed OpenAPI (Swagger) specification, example client code snippets in multiple languages, and a structured Markdown template for detailed guides, ensuring all aspects of API interaction and understanding are covered.

Generated Code & Documentation Structure

This deliverable provides production-ready code and templates designed to form the core of your API documentation. It includes:

  1. OpenAPI (Swagger) Specification: The industry standard for defining RESTful APIs, enabling interactive documentation generation.
  2. Example API Client Code Snippets: Practical code examples in Python, JavaScript, and cURL for various API interactions.
  3. Markdown Template for Detailed Guides: A structured template for comprehensive "Getting Started," "Authentication," and "SDK Usage" sections.

1. OpenAPI (Swagger) Specification (YAML)

This OpenAPI 3.0 specification defines a hypothetical "Product Catalog API." It includes detailed endpoint descriptions, request/response schemas, examples, and authentication methods. This YAML file can be fed into tools like Swagger UI, Redoc, or other documentation generators to create interactive and user-friendly API documentation.


# OpenAPI 3.0 Specification for Product Catalog API
openapi: 3.0.0
info:
  title: Product Catalog API
  description: A comprehensive API for managing products in a catalog.
  version: 1.0.0
servers:
  - url: https://api.example.com/v1
    description: Production Server
  - url: http://localhost:8080/v1
    description: Local Development Server
tags:
  - name: Products
    description: Operations related to product resources

components:
  securitySchemes:
    ApiKeyAuth:
      type: apiKey
      in: header
      name: X-API-Key
      description: API Key authentication required for write operations.
  schemas:
    Product:
      type: object
      required:
        - id
        - name
        - price
      properties:
        id:
          type: string
          format: uuid
          description: Unique identifier for the product.
          readOnly: true
          example: d290f1ee-6c54-4b01-90e6-d701748f0851
        name:
          type: string
          description: Name of the product.
          example: Wireless Bluetooth Headphones
        description:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          description: Detailed description of the product.
          example: High-quality headphones with noise cancellation and 20-hour battery life.
        price:
          type: number
          format: float
          description: Price of the product.
          example: 99.99
        currency:
          type: string
          description: Currency of the product price.
          example: USD
        category:
          type: string
          description: Category the product belongs to.
          example: Electronics
        stock:
          type: integer
          format: int32
          minimum: 0
          description: Current stock level.
          example: 150
        createdAt:
          type: string
          format: date-time
          description: Timestamp when the product was created.
          readOnly: true
          example: "2023-10-27T10:00:00Z"
        updatedAt:
          type: string
          format: date-time
          description: Timestamp when the product was last updated.
          readOnly: true
          example: "2023-10-27T10:30:00Z"
    NewProduct:
      type: object
      required:
        - name
        - price
      properties:
        name:
          type: string
          description: Name of the product.
          example: Smartwatch Pro
        description:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          description: Detailed description of the product.
          example: Advanced smartwatch with health tracking and long battery life.
        price:
          type: number
          format: float
          description: Price of the product.
          example: 249.99
        currency:
          type: string
          description: Currency of the product price.
          example: USD
        category:
          type: string
          description: Category the product belongs to.
          example: Wearables
        stock:
          type: integer
          format: int32
          minimum: 0
          description: Initial stock level.
          example: 50
    Error:
      type: object
      required:
        - code
        - message
      properties:
        code:
          type: integer
          format: int32
          example: 400
        message:
          type: string
          example: "Invalid input provided"

paths:
  /products:
    get:
      tags:
        - Products
      summary: Get a list of all products
      description: Retrieve a paginated list of products. Supports filtering by category and searching by name.
      operationId: listProducts
      parameters:
        - name: limit
          in: query
          description: Maximum number of products to return.
          required: false
          schema:
            type: integer
            format: int32
            minimum: 1
            maximum: 100
            default: 10
        - name: offset
          in: query
          description: Number of products to skip for pagination.
          required: false
          schema:
            type: integer
            format: int32
            minimum: 0
            default: 0
        - name: category
          in: query
          description: Filter products by category.
          required: false
          schema:
            type: string
            enum: [Electronics, Books, Home, Clothing]
        - name: search
          in: query
          description: Search products by name (case-insensitive).
          required: false
          schema:
            type: string
      responses:
        "200":
          description: A list of products.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                type: array
                items:
                  $ref: '#/components/schemas/Product'
              examples:
                productsArray:
                  summary: Example list of products
                  value:
                    - id: "d290f1ee-6c54-4b01-90e6-d701748f0851"
                      name: "Wireless Bluetooth Headphones"
                      description: "High-quality headphones with noise cancellation."
                      price: 99.99
                      currency: "USD"
                      category: "Electronics"
                      stock: 150
                      createdAt: "2023-10-27T10:00:00Z"
                      updatedAt: "2023-10-27T10:30:00Z"
                    - id: "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-1234-567890abcdef"
                      name: "Ergonomic Office Chair"
                      description: "Adjustable chair for maximum comfort."
                      price: 349.00
                      currency: "USD"
                      category: "Home"
                      stock: 50
                      createdAt: "2023-10-26T09:00:00Z"
                      updatedAt: "2023-10-26T11:00:00Z"
        "400":
          description: Invalid query parameters
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
        "500":
          description: Internal server error
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
    post:
      tags:
        - Products
      summary: Create a new product
      description: Adds a new product to the catalog. Requires API Key authentication.
      operationId: createProduct
      security:
        - ApiKeyAuth: []
      requestBody:
        description: Product object to be created.
        required: true
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              $ref: '#/components/schemas/NewProduct'
            examples:
              newProductExample:
                summary: Example new product
                value:
                  name: "Smartwatch Pro"
                  description: "Advanced smartwatch with health tracking."
                  price: 249.99
                  currency: "USD"
                  category: "Wearables"
                  stock: 50
      responses:
        "201":
          description: Product created successfully.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Product'
              examples:
                createdProduct:
                  summary: Example created product response
                  value:
                    id: "f8e9d0c1-b2a3-4567-8901-234567890abc"
                    name: "Smartwatch Pro"
                    description: "Advanced smartwatch with health tracking."
                    price: 249.99
                    currency: "USD"
                    category: "Wearables"
                    stock: 50
                    createdAt: "2023-10-27T11:00:00Z"
                    updatedAt: "2023-10-27T11:00:00Z"
        "400":
          description: Invalid input
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
        "401":
          description: Unauthorized - Missing or invalid API Key
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
        "500":
          description: Internal server error
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'

  /products/{productId}:
    get:
      tags:
        - Products
      summary: Get product by ID
      description: Retrieve a single product's details using its unique identifier.
      operationId: getProductById
      parameters:
        - name: productId
          in: path
          description: The ID of the product to retrieve.
          required: true
          schema:
            type: string
            format: uuid
          example: d290f1ee-6c54-4b01-90e6-d701748f0851
      responses:
        "200":
          description: Product details.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Product'
              examples:
                singleProduct:
                  summary: Example product details
                  value:
                    id: "d290f1ee-6c54-4b01-90e6-d701748f0851"
                    name: "Wireless Bluetooth Headphones"
                    description: "High-quality headphones with noise cancellation and 20-hour battery life."
                    price: 99.99
                    currency: "USD"
                    category: "Electronics"
                    stock: 150
                    createdAt: "2023-10-27T10:00:00Z"
                    updatedAt: "2023-10-27T10:30:00Z"
        "404":
          description: Product not found
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
        "500":
          description: Internal server error
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
    put:
      tags:
        - Products
      summary: Update an existing product
      description: Updates an existing product's details. Requires API Key authentication.
      operationId: updateProduct
      security:
        - ApiKeyAuth: []
      parameters:
        - name: productId
          in: path
          description: The ID of the product to update.
          required: true
          schema:
            type: string
            format: uuid
          example: d290f1ee-6c54-4b01-90e6-d701748f0851
      requestBody:
        description: Product object with updated fields.
        required: true
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              # For simplicity, using NewProduct as base, but typically a dedicated UpdateProduct schema would be used
              type: object
              properties:
                name:
                  type: string
                  description: New name of the product.
                  example: Wireless Bluetooth Headphones (Gen 2)
                description:
                  type: string
                  nullable: true
                  description: Updated description of the product.
                  example: Improved headphones with better noise cancellation.
                price:
                  type: number
                  format: float
                  description: New price of the product.
                  example: 109.99
                stock:
                  type: integer
                  format: int32
                  minimum: 0
                  description: Updated stock level.
                  example: 120
            examples:
              updateProduct
gemini Output

API Documentation: Product Catalog API v1.0

Welcome to the comprehensive documentation for the Product Catalog API. This guide provides detailed information on how to integrate with our API, manage products, categories, and inventory efficiently.

1. Introduction

The Product Catalog API provides a robust and flexible way to programmatically manage your product catalog. It allows you to create, retrieve, update, and delete product information, categorize items, manage inventory levels, and retrieve product images. This API is designed for developers building e-commerce platforms, inventory management systems, or any application requiring programmatic access to product data.

Key Features:

  • Product Management: Full CRUD operations for products.
  • Category Management: Organize products into hierarchical categories.
  • Inventory Tracking: Update and retrieve stock levels.
  • Image Management: Associate images with products.
  • Search & Filtering: Powerful query capabilities for product discovery.

Base URL:

All API requests should be made to the following base URL:

https://api.yourcompany.com/v1

2. Getting Started

To begin using the Product Catalog API, you will need an API Key.

2.1 Obtaining Your API Key

  1. Log in to your developer dashboard at [https://developer.yourcompany.com](https://developer.yourcompany.com).
  2. Navigate to the "API Keys" section.
  3. Generate a new API Key if you don't have one, or use an existing one.
  4. Keep your API Key secure and do not share it publicly.

2.2 Making Your First Request

Once you have your API Key, you can make your first request. Let's try to fetch a list of products.

Example Request (cURL):


curl -X GET \
  https://api.yourcompany.com/v1/products \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json'

Example Response (JSON):


HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "prod_001",
      "name": "Wireless Bluetooth Headphones",
      "sku": "WH001",
      "description": "High-fidelity audio with noise cancellation.",
      "price": 99.99,
      "currency": "USD",
      "stock_quantity": 150,
      "category_id": "cat_audio",
      "images": [
        "https://cdn.yourcompany.com/images/prod_001_main.jpg",
        "https://cdn.yourcompany.com/images/prod_001_side.jpg"
      ],
      "created_at": "2023-01-15T10:00:00Z",
      "updated_at": "2023-11-20T14:30:00Z"
    },
    {
      "id": "prod_002",
      "name": "Ergonomic Office Chair",
      "sku": "EOC002",
      "description": "Adjustable lumbar support and breathable mesh.",
      "price": 249.00,
      "currency": "USD",
      "stock_quantity": 50,
      "category_id": "cat_office",
      "images": [
        "https://cdn.yourcompany.com/images/prod_002_front.jpg"
      ],
      "created_at": "2023-02-01T09:15:00Z",
      "updated_at": "2023-10-05T11:00:00Z"
    }
  ],
  "meta": {
    "total": 2,
    "limit": 10,
    "offset": 0
  }
}

3. Authentication

The Product Catalog API uses Bearer Token Authentication via API Keys. You must include your API Key in the Authorization header of every request.

Header Format:

Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

Replace YOUR_API_KEY with the actual API Key obtained from your developer dashboard.

Example:


GET /v1/products
Host: api.yourcompany.com
Authorization: Bearer sk_live_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Content-Type: application/json

4. Core Concepts and Data Models

Understanding the core data models will help you interact with the API more effectively.

4.1 Product Object

A product represents an item available in your catalog.

| Field | Type | Description |

| :------------- | :------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------ |

| id | string | Unique identifier for the product (read-only). |

| name | string | Name of the product. |

| sku | string | Stock Keeping Unit, unique identifier for inventory. |

| description | string | Detailed description of the product. |

| price | number | Current price of the product. |

| currency | string | ISO 4217 currency code (e.g., "USD", "EUR"). |

| stock_quantity | integer | Current available stock quantity. |

| category_id | string | ID of the category the product belongs to. |

| images | array<string> | URLs of product images. |

| attributes | object | Key-value pairs for custom product attributes (e.g., {"color": "blue"}). |

| created_at | string | ISO 8601 timestamp when the product was created (read-only). |

| updated_at | string | ISO 8601 timestamp when the product was last updated (read-only). |

4.2 Category Object

A category helps organize products. Categories can be nested.

| Field | Type | Description |

| :------------- | :------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------ |

| id | string | Unique identifier for the category (read-only). |

| name | string | Name of the category. |

| slug | string | URL-friendly identifier for the category (read-only). |

| description | string | Optional description of the category. |

| parent_id | string | ID of the parent category, if nested. null for top-level categories. |

| created_at | string | ISO 8601 timestamp when the category was created (read-only). |

| updated_at | string | ISO 8601 timestamp when the category was last updated (read-only). |

5. Endpoints Reference

This section details all available API endpoints, their methods, parameters, and expected responses.

5.1 Products

##### 5.1.1 List All Products

Retrieve a paginated list of all products.

  • Endpoint: /products
  • Method: GET
  • Description: Returns a list of product objects. Supports filtering and pagination.

Query Parameters:

| Parameter | Type | Description | Required | Default |

| :-------- | :------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :------- | :------ |

| limit | integer | Maximum number of products to return per page. Min 1, Max 100. | No | 10 |

| offset | integer | The number of products to skip before starting to collect the result set. | No | 0 |

| category_id | string | Filter products by a specific category ID. | No | |

| search | string | Full-text search across product name and description. | No | |

| min_price | number | Filter products with a price greater than or equal to this value. | No | |

| max_price | number | Filter products with a price less than or equal to this value. | No | |

| sort_by | string | Field to sort by (e.g., name, price, created_at). | No | created_at |

| order | string | Sort order (asc or desc). | No | desc |

Request Example (cURL):


curl -X GET \
  'https://api.yourcompany.com/v1/products?limit=5&category_id=cat_electronics&sort_by=price&order=asc' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY'

Request Example (Python):


import requests

headers = {
    'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
}
params = {
    'limit': 5,
    'category_id': 'cat_electronics',
    'sort_by': 'price',
    'order': 'asc'
}
response = requests.get('https://api.yourcompany.com/v1/products', headers=headers, params=params)
print(response.json())

Response Structure (200 OK):


{
  "data": [ ProductObject, ... ],
  "meta": {
    "total": "integer",
    "limit": "integer",
    "offset": "integer"
  }
}

HTTP Status Codes:

  • 200 OK: Successfully retrieved the list of products.
  • 400 Bad Request: Invalid query parameters.
  • 401 Unauthorized: Missing or invalid API Key.

##### 5.1.2 Get a Specific Product

Retrieve details for a single product by its ID.

  • Endpoint: /products/{product_id}
  • Method: GET
  • Description: Returns a single product object.

Path Parameters:

| Parameter | Type | Description | Required |

| :----------- | :------- | :---------------------------- | :------- |

| product_id | string | The unique ID of the product. | Yes |

Request Example (cURL):


curl -X GET \
  https://api.yourcompany.com/v1/products/prod_001 \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY'

Response Structure (200 OK):


{
  "id": "prod_001",
  "name": "Wireless Bluetooth Headphones",
  "sku": "WH001",
  "description": "High-fidelity audio with noise cancellation.",
  "price": 99.99,
  "currency": "USD",
  "stock_quantity": 150,
  "category_id": "cat_audio",
  "images": [
    "https://cdn.yourcompany.com/images/prod_001_main.jpg"
  ],
  "attributes": {
    "color": "black",
    "weight_grams": 250
  },
  "created_at": "2023-01-15T10:00:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2023-11-20T14:30:00Z"
}

Response Example (404 Not Found):


HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "error": {
    "code": "product_not_found",
    "message": "Product with ID 'non_existent_id' not found."
  }
}

HTTP Status Codes:

  • 200 OK: Successfully retrieved the product.
  • 401 Unauthorized: Missing or invalid API Key.
  • 404 Not Found: Product with the specified ID does not exist.

##### 5.1.3 Create a New Product

Add a new product to the catalog.

  • Endpoint: /products
  • Method: POST
  • Description: Creates a new product and returns the created product object.

Request Body Parameters:

| Parameter | Type | Description | Required |

| :------------- | :------------ | :------------------------------------------------------------------------ | :------- |

| name | string | Name of the product. | Yes |

| sku | string | Stock Keeping Unit, must be unique. | Yes |

| description | string | Detailed description of the product. | No |

| price | number | Current price of the product. | Yes |

| currency | string | ISO 4217 currency code (e.g., "USD", "EUR"). | Yes |

| stock_quantity | integer | Initial available stock quantity. | Yes |

| category_id | string | ID of the category the product belongs to. | No |

| images | array<string> | URLs of product images. | No |

| attributes | object | Key-value pairs for custom product attributes. | No |

Request Example (cURL):


curl -X POST \
  https://api.yourcompany.com/v1/products \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API
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Generated by PantheraHive BOS
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