---
published: true
layout: post
title: Build Your Own API Client Around OpenAPI
tags:
  - Clients
  - OpenAPI
image: >-
  https://kinlane-productions2.s3.amazonaws.com/algorotoscope-master/bf-skinner-ellis-island-windows.jpg
---
There are more API clients out there now than you can shake a stick at. [A recent article had 20 separate API clients dueling for your attention](https://medium.com/@merisstupar11/battle-of-20-api-clients-which-one-saves-you-the-most-time-8188c37c0617). API clients begin with allowing you to authenticate and make requests, then see the response for simple HTTP APIs. From there the features explode depending on if it sticks with being a pure HTTP API client, expanding to other protocols, as well as to other areas of API operations like testing, automation, mocking, and much more. In this API client explosion we are coming across more enterprises who are committed to develop their own in-house, and API Evangelist is helping guide these efforts in the following ways.

- **Essential Capabilities** - Helping establish requirements for what the essential API client capabilities are for teams.
- **OpenAPI Centered** - Demonstrating why OpenAPI, Arrazzo, overlays, extensions, and examples provide solid core.
- **Web, Desktop, CLI, or IDE** - Talk through what the CORS issues are and how to support existing developer habits.
- **Ongoing Beginner Project** - Thinking through the opportunity to inner source and have new developers always work on.
- **API Education Opportunity** - Turn the API client into the fundamentals of HTTP opportunity and API operations for teams.
- **Seamless with Enterprise** - Helping provide guidance around how to weave the API client into existing systems and tools.

The HTTP API client within the enterprise provides a huge opportunity to make HTTP literacy the first step any engineer or even product stakeholder makes when it comes to contributing to API operations. HTTP API clients can be made to work just for support, sales, or product folks, but can also be the first place developers cut their teeth when working to produce or consume APIs. Our HTTP API clients provide a huge opportunity to learn about HTTP, authentication, headers, content negotiation, CORS, and many of the other fundamentals of work with APIs. Turning your HTTP API client into a home grown solution that every team member has to touch from not just a usage, but also debugging and feature enhancements can make a lot of sense for the right enterprise.