Frontier have provided two (any more?) official APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for Elite: Dangerous.
These are:
Elite Companion API
EDAPI (Elite Dangerous API Tool)
also:
Elite Dangerous Journal
There are two Free, widely used, industry standards relevant to APIs:
Swagger
OpenAPI
Frontier currently have, as far as I understand, made no statement as to whether:
a) Elite: Dangerous APIs support the Free Swagger API framework
b) There is a policy to adhere to the OpenAPI version 3.0 or higher specification
I believe that the Elite: Dangerous community would benefit from knowing that Frontier are committed to these Free standards. Making a public statement on this matter indicating that they support Free standards would have several advantages:
1) Developers who make use of Frontier APIs would have greater confidence in what to expect
2) Greater numbers of developers would be attracted to producing applications to make Elite: Dangerous more enjoyable, as work could be based upon known standards
3) The quality of code would increase, as more time could be focused on the content than on establishing what the API rules are.
4) There would be a greater likelihood of being easily able to take advantage of work on other games, as the APIs would be industry wide.
5) Frontier would be in a better position to contribute to and influence later versions of these standards.
I hope that developers will, after examining the merits of Frontier asserting direction on this issue, and declaring support for Free API standards, organize and request a policy decision from Frontier Developments.
Related:
External API Requirements Thread (This January 2015 thread, started by Michael Brooks, has no mention of Swagger or OpenAPI, alas.)
ED Codex API section
These are:
Elite Companion API
EDAPI (Elite Dangerous API Tool)
also:
Elite Dangerous Journal
There are two Free, widely used, industry standards relevant to APIs:
Swagger
OpenAPI
Frontier currently have, as far as I understand, made no statement as to whether:
a) Elite: Dangerous APIs support the Free Swagger API framework
b) There is a policy to adhere to the OpenAPI version 3.0 or higher specification
I believe that the Elite: Dangerous community would benefit from knowing that Frontier are committed to these Free standards. Making a public statement on this matter indicating that they support Free standards would have several advantages:
1) Developers who make use of Frontier APIs would have greater confidence in what to expect
2) Greater numbers of developers would be attracted to producing applications to make Elite: Dangerous more enjoyable, as work could be based upon known standards
3) The quality of code would increase, as more time could be focused on the content than on establishing what the API rules are.
4) There would be a greater likelihood of being easily able to take advantage of work on other games, as the APIs would be industry wide.
5) Frontier would be in a better position to contribute to and influence later versions of these standards.
I hope that developers will, after examining the merits of Frontier asserting direction on this issue, and declaring support for Free API standards, organize and request a policy decision from Frontier Developments.
Related:
External API Requirements Thread (This January 2015 thread, started by Michael Brooks, has no mention of Swagger or OpenAPI, alas.)
ED Codex API section
Last edited: