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APIMatic for VS Code

This extension is currently in beta.

Welcome! This extension lets you easily create, validate and lint your API definition documents in any of the supported formats including OpenAPI. The API definition files are not only validated against standard checks but also linted for ensuring smoother SDK generation, Developer Experience Portal generation and API specification format transformation in order to help you build a remarkable API developer experience.

VS Code Extension APIMatic API Explorer

Usage​

Usage

To use the extension, follow these simple steps:

  1. Sign up for free on https://apimatic.io if you haven’t already.
  2. Install the APIMatic's extension in your VS Code.
  3. Click on the APIMatic logo in the Activity bar to open the APIMatic API Explorer view.
  4. Click on the Authorize button. This will open a tab in your default browser where you will be required to login with your APIMatic account. After successful authorization, you will be redirected back into the extension.
  5. Create a new or open an existing API workspace folder. It is recommended to keep only files relevant to the API definition in this folder.
  6. Create or import your API definition file(s).
  7. Validation will start automatically once you import or create an API definition file. Save the file after making any changes; saving the file will trigger the API validation.

Key Features​

Here are some of the key features the extension offers:

Ensures Compliance with API Specification Standards​

The extension enforces all checks marked as mandatory by API specification standards like OpenAPI, guaranteeing that your API definition is compatible not only with APIMatic but also with other API tools.

Standard Compliance

Out-of-the-Box Lint Checks for Code Generation, Documentation and More​

You can quickly start linting with our 542 out-of-the-box lint rules - with 503 targeting OpenAPI definitions alone. These lint checks will help you avoid common issues that affect code generation and documentation output e.g. inline schemas and poor naming conventions.

Easily configure the lint process according to your needs: skip rules or entire ruleset, override severity and add custom lint rules for enhanced API quality. Explore configuration options.

With all the rules included out of the box, you probably won’t need to define too many custom rules, but if you do, know that it is as easy as 1,2,3. Learn more about defining your own rules here.

Auto-fixing Common Issues​

Automatically fix common issues such as inline anonymous schemas with one click. The extension refactors your entire API definition file so you don’t have to locate and fix individual issues. Discover automatic fixes.

Auto-fixing

Richer Validation Experience​

The extension includes dedicated views to help provide you with a richer validation experience:

  • A Workspace Validation Summary view that offers bird-eye view of the validation status of the API workspace. It includes important metrics to understand overall quality of the API definition, messages organized into meaningful groups for easy navigation and the ability to generate audit reports for external stakeholders in various formats (PDF, HTML, JSON, Markdown):

Workspsace Validation Summary View

  • A Current Violations view that shows contextual data for each selected issue e.g. line and path information, call tree to trace origin, etc.:

Current Violations View

  • A Learn More view that shows detailed descriptions, hints and reference documentation links for better understanding of issues:

Learn More View

Merge-aware Validation​

Merge multiple API definitions into one while ensuring each API definition involved is valid before and after the merge. Merging API definitions is very useful for API providers looking to provide a unified interface for multiple API services.

Multiple API Specification Formats Supported​

In addition to OpenAPI definitions, the extension offers basic validation support for various API description formats, including RAML, API Blueprint, WADL, WSDL, Postman Collections, Insomnia, and HAR, among others. See supported formats.

API Specification Format Transformation​

The extension offers built-in support for API Transformer, allowing effortless conversion of your API workspace to your chosen API specification format e.g. you can convert from OpenAPI to Postman and more.

Better Support for APIMatic Users​

Once your API definition is ready, you can easily export it to your APIMatic Dashboard for SDK/DX portal generation without needing to leave the VS code extension. The extension also offers basic support for version management, allowing you to replace an existing version or add new versions to the same API group entity.

Export

For More Information​

To learn more about the features offered by the extension and details about each of its components, please visit our official documentation here.

Contact us for sharing any feedback or issues/concerns.