Skip to content

[FC-0118] docs: add ADR for standardizing API documentation and schema coverage - #38189

Merged
feanil merged 5 commits into
openedx:docs/ADRs-axim_api_improvementsfrom
edly-io:docs/ADRs-axim_api_improvements
Apr 28, 2026
Merged

[FC-0118] docs: add ADR for standardizing API documentation and schema coverage#38189
feanil merged 5 commits into
openedx:docs/ADRs-axim_api_improvementsfrom
edly-io:docs/ADRs-axim_api_improvements

Conversation

@Abdul-Muqadim-Arbisoft

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Contributor

Description

Currently, API documentation and schema coverage is inconsistent across Open edX services, with many views lacking OpenAPI decorators and machine-readable documentation. This ADR proposes standardizing on drf-spectacular with @extend_schema decorators across all endpoints to improve AI-tool discoverability, reduce duplicate endpoints, and provide a consistent developer experience for external integrations.

Issue: #38164

- Propose adoption of drf-spectacular across Open edX services
- Require @extend_schema decorators for all API endpoints
- Document request/response schemas, status codes, and error conditions
@Abdul-Muqadim-Arbisoft Abdul-Muqadim-Arbisoft changed the title docs: add ADR for standardizing API documentation and schema coverage [FC-0118] docs: add ADR for standardizing API documentation and schema coverage Mar 18, 2026
Comment thread docs/decisions/0027-standardize-api-documentation-and-schema-coverage.rst Outdated
- Add context explaining what api-doc-tools is and its relationship
  to drf-yasg
- Document deprecation and archival of api-doc-tools as a consequence
- Add migration guide mapping api-doc-tools decorators and URL helpers
  to their drf-spectacular equivalents
- Add rejected alternative for updating api-doc-tools internals
- Add rollout step for final archival cutover

Closes review comment by @feanil

@feanil feanil left a comment

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Contributor

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

Mostly looks good, I think this is close to merging once we add a little bit more context on the decision to pivot away from api-doc-tools

Comment thread docs/decisions/0027-standardize-api-documentation-and-schema-coverage.rst Outdated
@feanil
feanil requested a review from kdmccormick April 20, 2026 15:05
@feanil

feanil commented Apr 20, 2026

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Contributor

@kdmccormick tagging you for review since we've spoken about this before. This can wait till after the release is cut.

@kdmccormick

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Member

Thanks, I'll take a look next week

…ompatibility analysis

Address review feedback on FC-0118 ADR 0027:

- Add context paragraph explaining what api-doc-tools is (drf-yasg shim,
  decorators it provides, schema view, OpenAPI 2.0 output)
- Document deprecation of api-doc-tools and drf-yasg as a consequence,
  including transition-window behavior
- Add detailed 8-point incompatibility analysis explaining why drf-yasg
  cannot be replaced with drf-spectacular inside api-doc-tools (recorded
  in the ADR itself for future reference)
- Add migration plan for existing api-doc-tools consumers with concrete
  decorator/import/setting mapping
- Update Rollout Plan to track api-doc-tools removal
- Add references to drf-spectacular migration guide, drf-yasg upstream
  status, and api-doc-tools repository

@feanil feanil left a comment

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Contributor

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

One small grammer issue (using Open edX as a noun) but otherwise I think this is good to merge now. I don't need to review again once the grammer issue is fixed.

Comment thread docs/decisions/0027-standardize-api-documentation-and-schema-coverage.rst Outdated
@feanil

feanil commented Apr 28, 2026

Copy link
Copy Markdown
Contributor

@Abdul-Muqadim-Arbisoft this looks great, please be sure to make the DEPR ticket for dropping api-doc-tools and drf-yasg so we can communicate that out to folks. We'll need to drop it from the other services (credentials, course-discovery, etc at some point as well.)

@feanil
feanil merged commit cb35381 into openedx:docs/ADRs-axim_api_improvements Apr 28, 2026
65 checks passed
Abdul-Muqadim-Arbisoft pushed a commit to edly-io/edx-platform that referenced this pull request Jun 16, 2026
Record that /api/frontend_site_config/v1/ is the canonical endpoint for
MFE/front-end runtime configuration (frontend-base SiteConfig, OEP-65) and
that /api/mfe_config/v1 is legacy, on the DEPR path tracked in openedx#37255 and
added, and that user-context data (roles, permissions) belongs on
resource-oriented endpoints rather than on a configuration payload.
Documentation/schema coverage is deferred to the API Documentation &
Schema Coverage ADR (openedx#38189).

Partially supersedes ADR 0001 (MFE Config API).

Part of FC-0118 Open edX REST API standardization (openedx#38137).
Refs openedx#38280
Abdul-Muqadim-Arbisoft pushed a commit to edly-io/edx-platform that referenced this pull request Jun 17, 2026
Record that /api/frontend_site_config/v1/ is the canonical endpoint for
MFE/front-end runtime configuration (frontend-base SiteConfig, OEP-65) and
that /api/mfe_config/v1 is legacy, on the DEPR path tracked in openedx#37255 and
added, and that user-context data (roles, permissions) belongs on
resource-oriented endpoints rather than on a configuration payload.
Documentation/schema coverage is deferred to the API Documentation &
Schema Coverage ADR (openedx#38189).

Partially supersedes ADR 0001 (MFE Config API).

Part of FC-0118 Open edX REST API standardization (openedx#38137).
Refs openedx#38280

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Faraz32123 pushed a commit that referenced this pull request Jun 19, 2026
…Is (#38309)

* docs: ADR for documenting and consolidating internal MFE APIs
Define a plan to document all undocumented internal LMS APIs consumed
by MFEs into stable, OpenAPI-described contracts. Introduces a
consolidated config endpoint pattern with optional course/user context,
authentication boundaries, and a rollout plan following OEP-21 DEPR
process.

* docs: add ADR for canonical MFE configuration endpoint

Record that /api/frontend_site_config/v1/ is the canonical endpoint for
MFE/front-end runtime configuration (frontend-base SiteConfig, OEP-65) and
that /api/mfe_config/v1 is legacy, on the DEPR path tracked in #37255 and
added, and that user-context data (roles, permissions) belongs on
resource-oriented endpoints rather than on a configuration payload.
Documentation/schema coverage is deferred to the API Documentation &
Schema Coverage ADR (#38189).

Partially supersedes ADR 0001 (MFE Config API).

Part of FC-0118 Open edX REST API standardization (#38137).
Refs #38280
Faraz32123 pushed a commit that referenced this pull request Jun 24, 2026
* docs: ADR for documenting and consolidating internal MFE APIs
Define a plan to document all undocumented internal LMS APIs consumed
by MFEs into stable, OpenAPI-described contracts. Introduces a
consolidated config endpoint pattern with optional course/user context,
authentication boundaries, and a rollout plan following OEP-21 DEPR
process.

* docs: add ADR for canonical MFE configuration endpoint

Record that /api/frontend_site_config/v1/ is the canonical endpoint for
MFE/front-end runtime configuration (frontend-base SiteConfig, OEP-65) and
that /api/mfe_config/v1 is legacy, on the DEPR path tracked in #37255 and
added, and that user-context data (roles, permissions) belongs on
resource-oriented endpoints rather than on a configuration payload.
Documentation/schema coverage is deferred to the API Documentation &
Schema Coverage ADR (#38189).

Partially supersedes ADR 0001 (MFE Config API).

Part of FC-0118 Open edX REST API standardization (#38137).
Refs #38280
Faraz32123 pushed a commit that referenced this pull request Jun 24, 2026
* docs: ADR for documenting and consolidating internal MFE APIs
Define a plan to document all undocumented internal LMS APIs consumed
by MFEs into stable, OpenAPI-described contracts. Introduces a
consolidated config endpoint pattern with optional course/user context,
authentication boundaries, and a rollout plan following OEP-21 DEPR
process.

* docs: add ADR for canonical MFE configuration endpoint

Record that /api/frontend_site_config/v1/ is the canonical endpoint for
MFE/front-end runtime configuration (frontend-base SiteConfig, OEP-65) and
that /api/mfe_config/v1 is legacy, on the DEPR path tracked in #37255 and
added, and that user-context data (roles, permissions) belongs on
resource-oriented endpoints rather than on a configuration payload.
Documentation/schema coverage is deferred to the API Documentation &
Schema Coverage ADR (#38189).

Partially supersedes ADR 0001 (MFE Config API).

Part of FC-0118 Open edX REST API standardization (#38137).
Refs #38280
Faraz32123 added a commit that referenced this pull request Jun 24, 2026
* docs: add ADR for standardizing serializer usage (#38139)

* docs: explicitly mention API versioning incase of backwards incompatible change (#38188)

Co-authored-by: Muhammad Faraz  Maqsood <faraz.maqsood@A006-01130.local>

* docs: add ADR for standardizing permissions usage (#38187)

Currently, authorization logic is implemented inconsistently across views, serializers, and custom access checks. This ADR will define a consistent approach using DRF permission classes, object-level permissions, and queryset scoping where appropriate.

Co-authored-by: Taimoor  Ahmed <taimoor.ahmed@A006-01711.local>

* docs: minor change in ADR language

* fix: add s back

* docs: migrate restful & legacy django api endpoints to standard drf viewsets (#38191)

* docs: Add ADR for ensuring GET requests are idempotent
Add edx-platform/docs/decisions/0030-ensure-get-requests-are-idempotent.rst as an accepted ADR.
Define policy that GET endpoints must be strictly read-only, with side effects moved to explicit write endpoints or async event pipelines.
Include edx-platform relevance, anti-pattern vs preferred code examples, and rollout guidance for testing and migration.

* docs: add ADR for standardizing API documentation and schema coverage

- Propose adoption of drf-spectacular across Open edX services
- Require @extend_schema decorators for all API endpoints
- Document request/response schemas, status codes, and error conditions

* docs: remove incorrect ADR number

* docs: address api-doc-tools deprecation in ADR per review feedback

- Add context explaining what api-doc-tools is and its relationship
  to drf-yasg
- Document deprecation and archival of api-doc-tools as a consequence
- Add migration guide mapping api-doc-tools decorators and URL helpers
  to their drf-spectacular equivalents
- Add rejected alternative for updating api-doc-tools internals
- Add rollout step for final archival cutover

Closes review comment by @feanil

* docs: expand ADR-0027 with api-doc-tools deprecation and drf-yasg incompatibility analysis

Address review feedback on FC-0118 ADR 0027:

- Add context paragraph explaining what api-doc-tools is (drf-yasg shim,
  decorators it provides, schema view, OpenAPI 2.0 output)
- Document deprecation of api-doc-tools and drf-yasg as a consequence,
  including transition-window behavior
- Add detailed 8-point incompatibility analysis explaining why drf-yasg
  cannot be replaced with drf-spectacular inside api-doc-tools (recorded
  in the ADR itself for future reference)
- Add migration plan for existing api-doc-tools consumers with concrete
  decorator/import/setting mapping
- Update Rollout Plan to track api-doc-tools removal
- Add references to drf-spectacular migration guide, drf-yasg upstream
  status, and api-doc-tools repository

* chore: fix edx-mantained to edX-platform

* docs: add ADR for standardizing pagination across APIs (#38300)

* docs: add ADR for api versioning strategy (#38304)

* docs: add ADR for standardizing filtering/sorting parameters (#38303)

* docs: add ADR-0029 standardized error responses decision (#38246)

* docs: add ADR for merging similar endpoints (#38262)

* docs: ADR for normalizing nested json apis (#38305)

* docs: add separate example for input & output serializers

* docs: ADR for documenting and consolidating internal MFE APIs (#38309)

* docs: ADR for documenting and consolidating internal MFE APIs
Define a plan to document all undocumented internal LMS APIs consumed
by MFEs into stable, OpenAPI-described contracts. Introduces a
consolidated config endpoint pattern with optional course/user context,
authentication boundaries, and a rollout plan following OEP-21 DEPR
process.

* docs: add ADR for canonical MFE configuration endpoint

Record that /api/frontend_site_config/v1/ is the canonical endpoint for
MFE/front-end runtime configuration (frontend-base SiteConfig, OEP-65) and
that /api/mfe_config/v1 is legacy, on the DEPR path tracked in #37255 and
added, and that user-context data (roles, permissions) belongs on
resource-oriented endpoints rather than on a configuration payload.
Documentation/schema coverage is deferred to the API Documentation &
Schema Coverage ADR (#38189).

Partially supersedes ADR 0001 (MFE Config API).

Part of FC-0118 Open edX REST API standardization (#38137).
Refs #38280

* docs: add ADR for standardizing authentication patterns (#38301)

* docs: add ADR for standardizing authentication patterns

* docs: resolve confusion & update the ADR based on OEP-0042

* docs: support multiple valid auth schemes & deprecate BearerAuthentication

* docs: change wording for decisions a bit.

* docs: add real examples in accordance with our updated decisions

* docs: sync ADR with edx-drf-extensions issue 284

openedx/edx-drf-extensions#284

* docs: make doc more explicit & address comments

* docs: move Bearer auth depr plan out of ADR

Move BearerAuthentication depr plan out of this doc So that it resides in single place i.e. to its deprecation ticket.

* docs: add a pointer file in oauth_dispatch for this ADR

* docs: make decision more clear

* docs: make authentication_classes usage more clearer

* docs: adress the comment related to session authentication

* chore: correct file number w.r.t order of the ADRs

---------

Co-authored-by: Muhammad Faraz  Maqsood <faraz.maqsood@A006-01130.local>
Co-authored-by: Taimoor Ahmed <68893403+taimoor-ahmed-1@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Taimoor  Ahmed <taimoor.ahmed@A006-01711.local>
Co-authored-by: Robert Raposa <rraposa@edx.org>
Co-authored-by: Abdul Muqadim <abdul.muqadim@A006-01811.local>
Co-authored-by: Abdul Muqadim <abdul.muqadim@192.168.1.7>
Co-authored-by: Abdul-Muqadim-Arbisoft <139064778+Abdul-Muqadim-Arbisoft@users.noreply.github.com>
Sign up for free to join this conversation on GitHub. Already have an account? Sign in to comment

Labels

None yet

Projects

None yet

Development

Successfully merging this pull request may close these issues.

5 participants