API Design Review: Things Mobile

Aug 25 / 1 min read

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Video - My Journey with Things Mobile API

  • Introduction:

    As a user of Things Mobile, I appreciate their services but found the design of their API lacking in areas. The structure and methods were not intuitive, causing unnecessary hurdles.

  • Issues with API Design:

    One issue I encountered was the incorrect application of HTTP methods. They used push instead of get for retrieving information which goes against conventional design standards. Mixed casing also marred their API URLs, compromising the readability.

    In addition, sending both a username and user token for each request felt excessive. A more efficient system could involve the user token functioning as an authorization token instead.

  • Recommendations for Improvement:

    Based on my experience, I propose changes to the API design. These include adopting consistent casing in API URLs, proper use of HTTP methods, and optimizing user token utilization.

  • Rate Limit Restrictions:

    The rate limit for HTTP endpoints caused friction and could result in requests getting blocked. Rethinking rate limits could significantly improve user experience.

  • Main Takeaways:

    Despite these hurdles, usage of Things Mobile services was generally positive. The swift operations, especially when it came to SIM activation, were commendable. Furthermore, Things Mobile proved to be a great solution for IoT projects.