contract-first programming

noun
UK /ˈkɒntrækt fɜːst ˈprəʊɡræmɪŋ/
US /ˈkɑːntrækt fɜːrst ˈproʊɡræmɪŋ/

A way of making software where you first write down the rules for how parts talk to each other, then build them.

The team used contract-first programming so the front end and back end could be built at the same time.

SYNONYMS

contract-first developmentAPI-first designinterface-first programmingschema-first development

RELATED WORDS

API contractinterface definitionOpenAPIcode generationmicroservices

OTHER MEANINGS

2. An approach where the agreement between services is written and agreed before any code is written.

With contract-first programming, the API spec was approved before developers started coding.

3. A method of designing web services by defining the request and response formats first.

Contract-first programming helped the teams avoid mismatched data formats.

4. A practice in which shared rules act as the single source of truth for separate software parts.

Because of contract-first programming, both teams tested against the same contract.