API Documentation Standard

Executive Summary

API Documentation Standard defines the future documentation expectations for Algosure APIs. OpenAPI should become the formal contract source when endpoint specifications are approved.

Why This Exists

API consumers need reliable documentation, but Algosure is not ready for final endpoint specifications in this architecture layer. This standard defines what future API documentation must include.

Owner

The owner is the Chief Product Officer and Enterprise Architect.

Business Value

Good API documentation improves implementation quality, testing, onboarding, integration reliability, and governance review.

Documentation Model

flowchart TB
    Architecture[API Architecture]
    Contract[Future OpenAPI Contract]
    Review[Architecture and Security Review]
    Consumers[Mobile, Web, AIOS, Integrations]
    Tests[Contract and Integration Tests]

    Architecture --> Contract
    Contract --> Review
    Review --> Consumers
    Contract --> Tests

Future Documentation Requirements

Requirement	Meaning
Domain owner	Each API document identifies the owning Domain.
API category	Public application, internal, or integration API.
Version	Contract version and compatibility status.
Authentication	Required authentication model.
Authorization	Role, permission, policy, approval, and ownership checks.
Entitlements	Plan, feature, limit, and subscription requirements.
Tenant and organization context	Required tenant and organization scope.
Command or query responsibility	Whether the API changes state or reads state.
Idempotency	Idempotency requirements for unsafe commands.
Pagination, filtering, sorting	Supported collection behavior.
Errors	Standard error responses and domain-specific codes.
Events	Domain events or application events that may result.
Audit	Audit expectations for material reads and writes.

OpenAPI Position

OpenAPI is the future contract source for REST APIs after endpoint design is approved. It should support review, documentation, client generation where appropriate, test generation, and compatibility checks.

Documentation Rules

Rule	Requirement
No undocumented public APIs	Public application and integration APIs must have contract documentation before release.
Internal APIs need ownership notes	Internal APIs require owner, purpose, consumers, and security context.
AIOS tools are documented	AIOS tool-call APIs require scope, permission, audit, and output ownership documentation.
Examples must be safe	Examples must not expose real customer data, secrets, or sensitive identifiers.
Docs follow versioning	Documentation must track API version lifecycle.

Non-Implementation Boundary

This document does not create OpenAPI files, endpoint specs, examples, schemas, generated docs, or client SDKs.