At a developer-focused company, which is more fundamental: the API, or the UX (e.g.

· Bits and Bobs 12/4/23

At a developer-focused company, which is more fundamental: the API, or the UX (e.g. a dashboard)?

The API is the escape hatch; everything must be possible in it.

But APIs are fiddly and require specialized knowledge; there are many more people who would feel comfortable with the UX than the API.

UXes are more forgiving and allow more users to discover and explore.

Ideally you make as much possible with the API, while simultaneously making it so people can achieve as many goals in the UX and don't have to go to the API unless they want to.

You can think of this as a special case of the "geek mode" pattern from doorbells in the jungle.

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