Build your APIs for Agents Agents will be a hug...
If you're not building your APIs for agents, you're leaving money on the table. Here's three things to start with and a checklist with everything else you should know. First, start with list endpoints. If an agent can't list resources, they have no starting point to access your API. They'll have a hard time guessing IDs and spam your API with irrelevant requests or try something else and you'll lose the traffic. Second, agents won't always read your docs first. They try to rely on their memory, which means they'll probably try and fail a bunch of times before they get it right. Expect these types of access patterns and make sure you're very careful about when you make a backwards incompatible change. Third, your description matters just as much as your schema. If your endpoint says search by email, agents will try to search by email, even if name and phone number are available parameters. That's just a start. If you want the full checklist, check it out at this link here.
Summary
To optimize APIs for agents, include list endpoints, anticipate usage patterns, and ensure clear descriptions. A full checklist is available for further guidance.
Key Points
- Build APIs with agents as primary users to maximize value.
- Include list endpoints for agents to easily access resources.
- Anticipate agents will not read documentation before using APIs.
- Be cautious with backwards incompatible changes to your API.
- Ensure endpoint descriptions are clear and comprehensive.
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Repurpose Ideas
- Create a checklist for API design focused on agent usability.
- Write a blog post on common pitfalls in API development.
- Share a LinkedIn post summarizing key points for building agent-friendly APIs.
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