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World Congress 2026 Europe - Virtual Stage • Jul 1, 2026 • Session details

For the REST of us: API First and Conway’s Law

Michael Jaeger

Michael Jaeger reveals how an API-first approach breaks Conway's Law. Stop building architectures that mirror organizational silos. Discover how collaborative OpenAPI specifications unify cross-team development.

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#1 about 3 min

Experiencing Conway's Law in heterogeneous software systems

How isolated organizational structures create fragmented application landscapes and disconnected integrations.

#2 about 1 min

Adopting API-first development to build cohesive systems

Designing specification limits before writing application code unifies diverse organizational services.

#3 about 3 min

Using Git workflows for collaborative OpenAPI specifications

Tracking text-based API descriptions in version control enables transparent collaboration via merge requests.

#4 about 3 min

Navigating integration caveats in OpenAPI code generators

Aligning open-source generation tools with existing internal C++ HTTP server frameworks prevents integration bugs.

#5 about 2 min

Organizing large OpenAPI descriptions with file references

Splitting specifications across modular files enables the reuse of data schemas and error responses.

#6 about 2 min

Securing external APIs with precise parameter definitions

Narrowing string variables with regular expressions and enumerations prevents malicious code injection.

#7 about 2 min

Minimizing attack vectors through selective API schemas

Referencing specific object attributes builds minimal data models for external customer views.

#8 about 3 min

Resolving REST API structural variations across teams

Standardizing URL paths, entity hierarchies, and HTTP methods eliminates developer style disagreements.

#9 about 3 min

Standardizing design rules using the API Stylebook

Reviewing public REST guidelines helps teams establish and debate domain-specific API rules practically.

#10 about 3 min

Identifying current limitations in the OpenAPI ecosystem

Managing ecosystem shortcomings like missing schema inheritance and inconsistent validation outputs reduces developer friction.

Matching moments

2:52 min

Designing microservices with the OpenAPI specification workflow

Artem Manchenkov Artem Manchenkov · WWC 2024

1:16 min

Automating documentation and code generation with OpenAPI standards

James Seconde · WWC 2023

7:05 min

Bridging design and implementation with modern API specifications

Yousaf Nabi Yousaf Nabi · WWC 2025

1:17 min

Implementing API endpoints with restful modeling languages

Nils Hünerberg · WWC 2023

3:10 min

Understanding the core concepts of API design

Alen Pokos · LIVE

1:40 min

Summarizing key engineering lessons for platform API development

Anto Anto · WWC 2024

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