API Versioning Should Be Your Last Resort

This article argues that API versioning is often overused and should be a last resort for API changes. It emphasizes that versioning is a compatibility tool, not a design strategy, and that most changes can be handled through better change management. The author provides four key compatibility rules: keep existing fields and behavior, don't make optional data required, don't change existing operations, and make new additions optional. Using an orders API example, it shows how additive changes can replace versioning, helping APIs age better and avoid maintaining multiple versions. The article is relevant to IT/technology professionals working with API design and software development.