Practice vocabulary for writing API field descriptions: enumerations, pattern constraints, deprecation notices, and constraint documentation.
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How should you document an enumeration field in an API description?
Enumeration fields should explicitly list all allowed values and explain what each one means: 'One of: "active" (account is enabled), "inactive" (account is disabled), "pending" (awaiting verification)'. Never leave consumers guessing.
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A field description reads: 'This field is deprecated, use `user_id` instead.' What should a consumer developer do?
Deprecation notices signal that a field will be removed in a future version. Consumers should migrate to the replacement field as soon as possible to avoid breakage when the field is eventually removed.
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What does documenting a 'pattern constraint' mean for a string field?
A pattern constraint describes the format a string must conform to, using a regex or plain-language description: 'ISO 8601 date-time', 'Must be a valid UUID v4', or 'Must match ^[A-Z]{2}-\d{6}$'. This prevents invalid input and clarifies expectations.
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Why is it important to document 'constraint documentation' such as min/max values or string length limits?
Documenting constraints (minLength, maxLength, minimum, maximum, pattern) allows consumers to perform client-side validation and understand what values the API will accept, reducing error rates and integration issues.
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When documenting an enumeration, a writer says 'describe the semantics, not just the values'. What does this mean?
Semantic documentation means explaining what 'pending' actually means in your domain (e.g. 'The order has been placed but not yet confirmed by the warehouse') rather than just listing it as an allowed string value.