API contract

An API contract is the observable promise an API makes to its clients about how to call it and what behavior to expect.

The contract includes operation semantics, accepted inputs, returned data, errors, ordering or consistency guarantees, and relevant limits.

Implementation details are not automatically part of the intended contract, but observable behavior can still become a dependency in practice.

Used in DKKB

API contracts and compatibilityDefine the promise an API makes to its clients, and change it without breaking the code that already depends on it.