API Technical Requirements Document #
1. Overview #
1.1 Purpose #
[Describe the primary purpose and goals of the API]
1.2 Scope #
[Define what is in and out of scope for this API]
1.3 Target Audience #
[Specify the intended users/consumers of the API]
2. Technical Specifications #
2.1 API Architecture #
- Architecture Style: [REST/GraphQL/gRPC/etc.]
- Protocol: [HTTP/HTTPS/WebSocket/etc.]
- Data Format: [JSON/XML/Protocol Buffers/etc.]
- API Version: [e.g., v1]
2.2 Authentication & Authorization #
- Authentication Method: [OAuth 2.0/API Keys/JWT/etc.]
- Authorization Levels: [Different access levels if applicable]
- Token Management:
- Token Format
- Expiration Policy
- Refresh Mechanism
2.3 Endpoints #
2.3.1 Endpoint Template #
[HTTP Method] /api/v1/[resource]
Description: [Brief description of the endpoint]
Request:
- Headers: [Required headers]
- Path Parameters: [If applicable]
- Query Parameters: [If applicable]
- Request Body: [JSON schema or example]
Response:
- Success Response Code: [e.g., 200 OK]
- Response Body: [JSON schema or example]
- Error Codes: [Possible error responses]2.4 Rate Limiting #
- Rate Limit: [Requests per time period]
- Throttling Policy: [How throttling is implemented]
- Headers:
- X-RateLimit-Limit
- X-RateLimit-Remaining
- X-RateLimit-Reset
3. Security Requirements #
3.1 Data Protection #
- Transport Security: [TLS version, cipher suites]
- Data Encryption: [At-rest encryption requirements]
- PII Handling: [Requirements for personal data]
3.2 Security Controls #
- Input Validation
- Output Encoding
- CORS Policy
- Content Security Policy
4. Performance Requirements #
4.1 Service Level Objectives (SLOs) #
- Availability: [e.g., 99.9%]
- Latency: [Response time requirements]
- Throughput: [Requests per second]
4.2 Scalability #
- Load Balancing: [Strategy]
- Auto-scaling: [Triggers and limits]
- Capacity Planning: [Growth projections]
5. Monitoring and Logging #
5.1 Monitoring Requirements #
- Health Checks
- Metrics Collection
- Alerting Thresholds
5.2 Logging Requirements #
- Log Levels
- Log Format
- Required Fields
- Retention Policy
6. Documentation Requirements #
6.1 API Documentation #
- OpenAPI/Swagger Specification
- SDK Documentation
- Integration Guides
- Sample Code
6.2 Change Management #
- Versioning Strategy
- Deprecation Policy
- Breaking Changes Policy
7. Testing Requirements #
7.1 Test Types #
- Unit Tests
- Integration Tests
- Performance Tests
- Security Tests
7.2 Test Coverage #
- Code Coverage Requirements
- Test Scenarios
- Acceptance Criteria
8. Compliance Requirements #
8.1 Standards Compliance #
- Industry Standards: [e.g., ISO 27001]
- Regulatory Requirements: [e.g., GDPR, CCPA]
- Internal Policies
9. Development Requirements #
9.1 Development Stack #
- Programming Language(s)
- Frameworks
- Dependencies
9.2 Development Practices #
- Code Style Guide
- Review Process
- CI/CD Requirements
10. Support and Maintenance #
10.1 Support Requirements #
- Support Hours
- Response Times
- Escalation Process
10.2 Maintenance Windows #
- Scheduled Maintenance
- Update Process
- Rollback Procedures
11. Implementation Timeline #
11.1 Project Phases #
- Phase 1: [Description and timeline]
- Phase 2: [Description and timeline]
- Phase n: [Description and timeline]
11.2 Milestones #
- Key Deliverables
- Dependencies
- Critical Path