--- created_at: '2016-06-06T16:16:09.000Z' title: How To Design A Good API and Why it Matters (2007) [video] url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heh4OeB9A-c author: jdnc points: 119 story_text: comment_text: num_comments: 21 story_id: story_title: story_url: parent_id: created_at_i: 1465229769 _tags: - story - author_jdnc - story_11847869 objectID: '11847869' year: 2007 --- [Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heh4OeB9A-c "Permalink to How To Design A Good API and Why it Matters - YouTube") # How To Design A Good API and Why it Matters - YouTube Skip navigation [ ][1] Sign in Search Loading... Close Yeah, keep it Undo Close ![][2] # This video is unavailable. ### Watch Queue ### Queue Watch QueueQueue * Remove all * Disconnect The next video is startingstop Loading... Watch Queue Queue __count__/__total__ [Find out why][3]Close # How To Design A Good API and Why it Matters [ ![GoogleTalksArchive][2] ][4] [GoogleTalksArchive][5] Loading... Unsubscribe from GoogleTalksArchive? Cancel Unsubscribe Working... SubscribeSubscribedUnsubscribe17K Loading... Loading... Working... Add to ### Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. [Sign in][6] Share More * Report ### Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. [Sign in][6] * Transcript * Statistics [ Add translations ][7] 91,705 views 699 ### Like this video? Sign in to make your opinion count. [Sign in][6] 700 2 ### Don't like this video? Sign in to make your opinion count. [Sign in][6] 3 Loading... Loading... ## Transcript The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Loading... **Rating is available when the video has been rented.** This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. **Published on Aug 22, 2012** Google Tech Talks January 24, 2007 ABSTRACT Every day around the world, software developers spend much of their time working with a variety of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Some are integral to the core platform, some provide access to widely distributed frameworks, and some are written in-house for use by a few developers. Nearly all programmers occasionally function as API designers, whether they know it or not. A well-designed API can be a great asset to the organization that wrote it and to all who use it. Good APIs increase the pleasure and productivity of the developers who use them, the quality of the software they produce, and ultimately, the corporate bottom line. Conversely, poorly written APIs are a constant thorn in the developer's side, and have been known to harm the bottom line to the point of bankruptcy. Given the importance of good API design, surprisingly little has been written on the subject. In this talk, I'll attempt to help you recognize good and bad APIs and I'll offer specific suggestions for writing good ones. This talk is part of the Advanced Topics in Programming Series at Google. 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