versioning-apis_skill

Overview

This skill automates API versioning work to maintain backward compatibility, issue deprecation notices, and define clear migration paths. It helps design versioned endpoints, generate scaffolding, and produce OpenAPI-compatible documentation. Use it to reduce breaking changes and coordinate client migrations across releases.

How this skill works

The skill inspects existing API specifications and resource models, then suggests a versioning strategy (URI, header, or media type) and migration plan. It generates boilerplate code for routes, controllers, models, and middleware scaffolding tailored to your chosen framework. It also emits deprecation notices, compatibility checks, and a polished OpenAPI 3.0 spec that documents versions and migration notes.

When to use it

• Preparing a breaking release that needs controlled client migration
• Adding new fields or changing response shapes while preserving older clients
• Coordinating deprecation schedules and automated notices to clients
• Migrating from one API style or framework to another
• Auditing current endpoints for backward compatibility risks

Best practices

• Choose a consistent versioning scheme (URI, header, or media type) and document it in the spec
• Keep behavior stable for older versions; add features on new versions only
• Provide automated compatibility tests and integration tests per version
• Publish deprecation notices with clear timelines and migration guidance
• Version coarse-grained resources first, avoid versioning every minor change

Example use cases

• Introduce a v2 API that returns enriched user profiles while keeping v1 responses unchanged
• Deprecate an old authentication flow with staged warnings, middleware checks, and migration docs
• Generate framework-specific scaffolding for simultaneous v1 and v2 endpoints during rollout
• Run compatibility checks to detect schema changes that would break existing clients
• Produce OpenAPI docs that include per-version endpoints, examples, and deprecation notes