Human Longevity Institute delivers the leading training and solutions to help people live better, longer. Home to the top longevity, health and lifestyle coaches, and practitioners. We educate and certify our students in the science of biological aging and the evidence-based lifestyle and clinical solutions that can slow down and reverse the process. This proven practice can extend healthspan with lifespan, for greater states of thriving at every age and every stage of life. Our programs transform how people look, feel, and experience their health and lives. Healthcare is changing, people are living longer and they want to live better. Now they can. Our students learn how. The field of longevity is sharing new possibilities, and revealing how we can harness our human potential to live longer with less sickness and disease. When you integrate advanced breakthroughs with ancient practices you get modern solutions that deliver transformative results for enhanced thriving that will positively impact generations to come. We are an online institute and a remote workplace, with a team of 8 members and over 10 adjunct and guest faculty each of whom are MDs, DCs, PharmD, Ph.D.s or hold a Master’s degree and have extensive training and clinical experience in longevity medicine, nutrition, fitness, behavior change, epigenetics, coaching, and lifestyle optimization. Now is the time to discover what is possible or you in harnessing the potential to live your longest, healthiest and most fulfilling life.

Human Longevity Institute

If you enjoy , you must be interested in futurism, and where we are all headed, you wouldn’t be here otherwise. FringeFM technology The is fascinating, especially as exponential technology accelerates. AI, genetics, space, robotics… the world is moving faster than anyone can comprehend, try as we might. future At we’re pretty passionate about this, and at looking how technological advancement can improve the lives of all of us. And while we think we put out a pretty good podcast, there are some other great shows we wanted to recommend, in case you are interested in even more future focused shows and discussions. FringeFM We try to feature as many innovators and thought leaders focused on the future as possible, but we always want more. If you haven’t listened to all our , we recommend doing that first. FringeFM episodes But to add to that, here are some future focused podcasts and books which have had the biggest impact on our team personally. Our Favorite 5 Technology and Futurism Podcasts 1. Science and Futurism with Isaac Arthur We had not that long ago. The episode was a blast where we covered a ton of material, from the future of interplanetary travel, the misconceptions about the Fermi Paradox, the reason we’ll probably live in Dyson cylinders rather than terraforming planets, how human evolution of body, mind and work will progress and much much more. Isaac Arthur, the host of SFIA on FringeFM If you love these topics, you will love and/or . On the show Isaac breaks down in-depth future tech projects/prospects to bring clarity to topics such as colonizing space (various stars, the Moon or Mars), building space elevators and other space launch technologies, exploring the Fermi Paradox and possibility of extraterrestrial life and much much more. Cannot recommend this highly enough, just make sure you watch the beautiful videos accompanying the content. Isaac’s podcast Youtube channel 2. Mind & Machine is the host of Mind & Machine, and we are planning to have him on the FringeFM soon. M&M is a bit like FringeFM, although generally features shorter conversations on singular, in-depth topics. August highlights a lot of augmented reality and VR, blockchain, AI and space and works in frontier tech consulting as a day job. He is a fan and friend of the show and someone we think our audience would enjoy a lot, since we love his podcast too. August Bradley You can subscribe to Mind & Machine or , your choice. on Youtube iTunes 3. Exponential Wisdom and Dan Sullivan make a great one-two punch in this dynamic podcast focused on technology, futurism and human longevity. I’ll admit to bingeing all 50 episodes of Exponential Wisdom within 3 days while envisioning FringeFM (listening at 3.5x speed). Peter Diamandis Diamandis, the founder of the XPrize, Human Longevity Institute, Planetary Resource (a failed asteroid mining startup) and many other game changing organizations is incredibly passionate and motivational, seeking to live to 700. And his co-host Dan Sullivan isn’t too shabby either, a 70+ year old executive coach focused on helping top performers up their game. Even at 73 years of age, Dan still works out hard every day, optimizes his health and is constantly testing bloodwork, planning to make it to at least 156. The podcast shares their various thoughts on the future, technologies to achieve extreme longevity, the cutting edge science most people are not aware of, a fair bit of personal coaching/enhancement and where we are headed as a species. We recommend subscribing in iTunes ASAP. 4. The Podcast Future Thinkers We recently had and , . Future Thinkers is a show about the evolution of technology, society, and consciousness, merging the meta with the advancement of technology in an interesting and thought provoking podcast we highly recommend. Euvie Ivanova Mike Gilliland the hosts of the Future Thinkers Podcast on FringeFM Both Mike and Euvie are bullish on blockchain and AI, into personal development and live beyond the bonds of conventional norms, allowing this duo to create a compelling interview show which talks about big, important topics for humanity’s future. If you like FringeFM, you will love this podcast too. 5. Of course, FringeFM FringeFM is the podcast that explores the edges of human understanding and looks at the technologies, trends and societal norms shaping our collective future. Here the world’s top minds share their insights and predictions on the convergence, direction and ethics of exponential technologies transforming life as we know it. Imagine longform TED Talk with similar caliber guests, but the ability to discuss a much wider range of topics and explore controversial areas in a no-holds barred, as long as it takes format. Every episode is fun, engaging and leaves you longer for more, excited about the future and interested in taking action. You can subscribe to FringeFM on , , , , , or iTunes Stitcher Overcast any Android app/platform Spotify Youtube just on our site! BONUS: Our Favorite Non-Fiction Books on the Future by Yuval Harrari Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow As a follow up to Harrari’s first book Sapiens, Homo Deus is an incredibly well written, thought provoking book on the future of humanity as we evolve beyond mere flesh and blood creatures. Understanding the past is one thing, predicting the future is quite another, yet we’d say Yuval Noah Harrari delivered a darned good effort that anyone could learn from and will enjoy. or , either way it is worth it. Grab a copy today on Amazon get a free audiobook from Audible by Michio Kaku Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel Impossible is nothing, or at least that is what Michio Kaku definitively proves with his book Physics of the Impossible. The book analyzes far future possible technologies and categorizes them as level 1, 2 or 3 impossibilities, ie things that are not currently possible but likely will be in next 50–100 years, things that may be possible and things that would need to rewrite our understanding of physics to be doable. The book is very interesting and reminds us all that you can do most anything you set your mind to. or a . Grab a copy today on Amazon free audiobook with Audible trial by Peter Diamandis Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think Peter Diamandis is pretty awesome, and in the book Abundance makes a compelling case that the future is going to be amazing. Forget the fear, uncertainty and doubt that are peddled by much of mainstream media. Abundance is a great book worth reading which will be inspire and educate you, a great one-two punch. or l. You can pick up a copy on Amazon grab a free audio version on Audible with a free tria Like this? You can also check out our guides to the best health/longevity focused podcasts and best space focused podcasts too. Brought to you by FringeFM At we explore the edges of human understanding and look at the technologies, trends and societal norms shaping our collective future. FringeFM Here the world’s top minds share their passion projects and how advances in genomics, space travel, connected devices, artificial intelligence and other exponential tech is converging to create the future of tomorrow. NOTE: This is a repost from FringeFM. If you got something actionable or valuable from this post or are excited about the round table, go ahead and “Clap” below .

Our 5 Favorite Technology and Futurism Podcasts

This article is presented to you by the Immortality Foundation. Functional loss of stem cells plays a vital role in the aging process. Characterized by dysfunction of multiple tissues and organs, aging results from the reduced function of effective stem cell populations. Reversing age-related stem cell decline has long been a topic of considerable interest in longevity science. Recent advances in anti-aging research have uncovered the tremendous potential of stem cell therapy, as a way to achieve organismic rejuvenation [1]. Stem cells are undifferentiated cells of a multicellular organism which are capable of giving rise to indefinitely more cells of the same type, and from which certain other kinds of cell arise by differentiation. In humans, there are two broad types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. In adult organisms, stem cells act as a repair system for the body, replenishing adult tissues. In a developing embryo, stem cells can differentiate into various specialized cells, while maintaining the normal turnover of regenerative organs [2]. Over the past years, researchers have identified three accessible sources of adult stem cells: Bone marrow — complex procedure which requires extraction by drilling into bone (typically the femur or iliac crest) Adipose tissue (lipid cells) — which implies extraction by liposuction Blood — which requires extraction through apheresis, a procedure where blood is drawn from the donor and passed through a machine that extracts stem cells only and returns other portions of the blood to the donor [2]. Another possibility, less practiced, is extracting stem cells from umbilical cord blood just after birth. Of all procedures, autologous harvesting involves the least risk for immune rejection. Autologous cells are obtained from one’s own body, thus preventing the risk of unfavorable immune reactions. A new area of research, are induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) — adult stem cells that have been genetically reprogrammed to go back to an embryonic stem cell — like state. The reprogrammed cells function similarly to embryonic stem cells, with the ability to differentiate into any cell of the body and to create an unlimited source of cells. Pioneered by Japanese researchers in 2006, iPSC technology has significant implications for anti-aging research. The field of stem cell research has been characterized by remarkable developments in recent years. Stem cells are nowadays used for the modeling of diseases as well as for rejuvenating purposes. One aspect that has limited to some extent this therapy, was the uncertainty that after collection, injected stem cells maintain their rejuvenating function once they reach the blood stream or targeted organs. In order to preserve stem cells in their natural state, Penn University researchers developed a system to collect and store them without manipulating them, thus making stem cells available for administration via injections. They found that stem cells collected directly from human fat — called adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) — can make more proteins than originally thought. This gives them the ability to replicate and maintain their stability, a finding that can potentially open the door to new therapies for the prevention and treatment of aging-related diseases [3]. One form of stem cell therapy that has been widely practiced for over 30 years is bone marrow transplantation, and has been used to treat cancer patients with conditions such as leukemia and lymphoma. Another stem-cell therapy called Prochymal, was approved in Canada in 2012 for the treatment of acute graft-vs-host disease in children unresponsive to steroids [4]. Moreover, FDA has already approved five hematopoietic stem-cell products derived from umbilical cord blood, for the treatment of blood and immunological diseases. The number of clinical trials increases exponentially, as researchers try to tap into the potential of this revolutionary technique [5]. According to a study, conducted by the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, stem cells taken from younger hearts can be used to reverse the aging process, thus giving “old hearts” the chance to rejuvenate. All treated mice had improved heart functionality, were able to exercise 20 percent longer, regrew hair at a faster rate, and had longer heart cell telomeres (telomeres are compounds found at the ends of chromosomes whose shortening is directly correlated to the aging process) [6]. Moreover, scientists recently proved that stem cell brain injections could reverse aging. Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine gave old mice a new lease on life by transplanting stem cells straight into hormone-producing regions of their brains. This study could open a new perspective in the quest for immortality. While stem cells have long held promise for regenerating specific tissues, the new findings suggest they could be used to override the entire aging process. Research leader Dongsheng Cai explains that the discovery that lays the ground for this work is that the hypothalamus — a section of the brain which secretes key hormones — controls the speed of aging throughout the body. This function is mainly attributed to a tiny group of adult stem cells, which restock the brain with neurons. Studies in animals showed that by replenishing those stem cells it’s possible to slow and even reverse various aspects of aging throughout the body [7]. Another study, conducted at the University of Rochester, found that the loss of stem cells in muscles leads to muscular decline in older mice, something that also happens to humans as they grow old. Therefore, stem cells might hold the key to people maintaining strength despite their muscles’ decline that starts in their 30s. The scientists are now focusing to build upon their research and discover a drug which could help individuals maintain the stem cell pools within their muscles [8]. Injections of stem cells derived from human embryos have been successfully used to treat multiple sclerosis in mice. The study revealed that stem cell-treated mice were able to walk and run around normally while untreated animals continued to be paralyzed. The researchers believe the findings are promising enough to move to clinical trials on patients in the hope of developing effective treatments for this degenerative disease [9]. In the cosmetic industry, stem cell injections are referred to as the ultimate anti-aging treatment. Studies showed that stem cells can replace, regrow, rejuvenate and repair the skin at a cellular level. Moreover, participants who have undergone stem cell infusion to slow down aging report other beneficial effects, such as: relief from aches and pains, dramatic boost in energy level, weight loss to normal level, increase in ability to do physical exercise, etc [10]. The numerous stem cell studies in progress across the globe are only a first step on the long road towards curing degenerative and age-related diseases. Because of their unlimited ability to self-renew and to differentiate, embryonic stem cells remain of great significance for regenerative medicine. There are still challenges to overcome before stem cells can be safely, effectively, and routinely used in the clinical setting. However, their potential benefits hold tremendous promise for an array of new anti-aging therapies and treatments. This article was presented to you by Immortality Foundation. References: Honoki, K. (2017). Preventing aging with stem cell rejuvenation: Feasible or infeasible? World J Stem Cells, 9(1), 1–8. Stem cells. (accessed on 30.10.2017). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell Stem Cell Therapy is Future of Anti-Ageing. (accessed on 30.10.2017). http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/others/sci-tech/stem-cell-therapy-is-future-of-anti-ageing/articleshow/57237567.cms A Stem-Cell-Based Drug Gets Approval in Canada. (accessed on 30.10.2017). http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/18/health/a-stem-cell-based-drug-gets-approval-in-canada.html Reisman, M., & Adams, K. T. (2014). Stem cell therapy: A look at current research, regulations, and remaining hurdles. P & T?: A Peer-Reviewed Journal for Formulary Management, 39(12), 846–57. New Study Reveals Stem Cells from Young Hearts May Help Reverse the Aging Process. (accessed on 30.10.2017). https://futurism.com/new-study-reveals-stem-cells-from-young-hearts-may-help-reverse-the-aging-process Injection of stem cells could reverse ageing: New York scientists. (accessed on 30.10.2017). http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/injection-of-stem-cells-could-reverse-ageing-new-york-scientists/news-story/9a3daaa9b47caa9bc0c7ec8daf24dfb9 Study on Mice Shows Stem Cells Key to Maintaining Strength in Old Age. (accessed on 30.10.2017). https://www.stemaid.com/news/study-on-mice-shows-stem-cells-key-to-maintaining-strength-in-old-age.html Human stem cells successfully treat multiple sclerosis in mice. (accessed on 30.10.2017). http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/human-stem-cells-successfully-treat-multiple-sclerosis-in-mice-9496400.html Stem Cell Therapy for Your Skin. (accessed on 30.10.2017). https://www.neomatrixmedical.com/stem-cell-medicine-in-florida/stem-cell-therapy-for-your-skin

Stem Cell Therapy — Triggering Human Body’s Ability to Heal Itself

Artificial intelligence gives humanity tremendous opportunities. With that, great risks. We celebrate online translators, amicable chatbots, well-drawing neural networks, and robot vacuum cleaners. We jubilate everything that makes life easier — not to mention scientific achievements. That said, we seem to be afraid of AI. But why? Is it even justified? Let's find out. First Steps in AI The first research on AI began in the 1930s. At that time, AI was already deemed a computer program able to perform tasks and learn. In 1927, an engineer of the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, engineered the first humanoid robot, Herbert Televox. Roy Wensley It was programmed to answer calls and execute simple commands. Imagine you call home and ask Televox whether the lights are turned off! Or you can request to preheat dinner in the oven, and the robot will turn it on remotely. All that in 1927! Rise of AI: Dartmouth Conference The term artificial intelligence was first used in 1956, at the , New Hampshire. At the conference, scientists discussed many areas of AI application, from vision, learning, and research to language, gaming, and human interactions with robots. Dartmouth Conference in Hanover Since then, the golden age of AI has started. Artificial intelligence has become the official field of science. AI robots could solve specific tasks. For more accomplished versions, a bigger computing capacity was necessary. Not So Positive AI: Intelligence Explosion The number of robots — from a vacuum cleaner to a smart kettle — used in daily life was growing. Researchers tried to predict the further flow of things. In 1966, British mathematician Good in his work ‘Speculations Concerning the First Ultraintelligent Machine’ formulated the principle of technological singularity, or intelligence explosion. Irving John According to this phenomenon, “ultraintelligent machine could design even better machines; there would then unquestionably be the ‘intelligence explosion,’ and the intelligence of man would be left far behind. Thus the first ultraintelligent machine is the last invention that man need ever make.” This work caused a great discussion in society and led to ethical concerns: Is it safe to interact with machines? Where are the boundaries of interactions? Who controls robots? Trade-Offs: Asimov’s Laws of Robotics One of the most famous solutions to the problem was proposed by the American writer and professor of biochemistry in 1942. In Asimov’s story ‘Runaround,’ he outlined the three Laws of Robotics: Isaac Asimov A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws. But, many years later, these postulates remained fiction and became the ground for future doubts, fears, and frightening scenarios. Where Does the Fear Come From? In the 1990s, neural networks became a real breakthrough. They could collect data, form experiences, analyze the received information, and draw conclusions at much higher speeds. Since there were more precise and less provocative definitions for modern technologies, the phrase artificial intelligence lost its relevance. John McCarthy, an American computer and cognitive scientist, said, ‘As soon as it works, no one calls it AI anymore." It is human nature to be scared of the new — the law of survival in action. Artificial intelligence provokes a defensive reaction. But it’s not the AI itself that frightens us. It’s the fear of the unknown. Many do not understand artificial intelligence, its processes and its consequences. People are also scared lest artificial intelligence replace them at work. Here also comes media. In movies, books, and media, AI is often an evil genius who wants to destroy humanity. At the same time, there are many stories of human interaction with technology: Self-realization through a robot (the movie ‘Real Steel’); Complete suppression of human will by a machine (the picture ‘Upgrade’); Use of technology for good (Iron Man's virtual assistant Jarvis); Capture of the world by intelligent machines (the movie ‘Terminator’ or the ‘Matrix’ trilogy). Smart machines appeared in fantasy long before they did in real. The word ‘robot’ was first used in the science-fiction play R.U.R. by in 1920. Čapek’s robots were very close to the modern perception of androids. Karel Čapek People view AI as a living organism capable of evoking feelings, if not to replace a person. We can see that in the picture ‘Her.’ Moreover, we no longer perceive technologies like Siri, Mercedes, or chatbots as AI. However advanced, machines do not have a nervous system. Even a perfectly accurate emulation of the human brain in an electronic version cannot make a robot feel and empathize. Mikalai Dzisko*, Senior Editor at , says:* Ocean Power ‘Journalists also distort the image of neural networks and artificial intelligence. Instead of educating their audience and showing them how to use the neural network, they mouse around for intolerance and unethical behavior in ChatGPT. Will it write the f-word? When will it offend a user? Is it possible to bring it into conflict? How many genders does the neural network admit? These questions blur the reputation and essence of the technology. Will the Fear Of AI Disappear? Despite widespread fear, some movies, books, and people support a positive reputation of neural networks: In the 1990’s sci-fi picture ‘Total Recall,’ AI helps the main character to investigate crimes on Mars; In the Mass Effect computer games, you can’t win without AI; In the science fiction series ‘Black Mirror,’ artificial intelligence is sometimes represented as a positive character: in one of the episodes, it helps people find the perfect match — the utopian Tinder of the future. Artificial intelligence is often mentioned in gender studies. One of the most famous feminists of the last century, Donna Haraway, believed that cyborgization would help overcome binary, with all the ensuing problems and stereotypes. Today, human rights defenders are moving on. The non-profit organization raises the questions of people who can already be called cyborgs. Cyborg Foundation Its co-founder, artist Neil Harbisson, calls himself the first cyborg in the world because he implanted a special antenna in his skull that converts light waves into sound. ‘Should they have a license to use the technology? Their international law? What should cyborg insurance look like? Who will protect the civil liberties and inviolability of cyborg bodies?’ asks Eliezer Yudkowsky, co-founder and research fellow at the Machine Intelligence Research  Institute Stephen Hawking made a huge contribution to the popularization of the thesis ‘Technology is man's best friend.’ The famous physicist and cosmologist publicly spoke in favor of research and the development of artificial intelligence. Hawking believed that, with proper use, AI can help people solve many global problems. By personal example, he showed that a serious illness is no longer an obstacle to active scientific and public activity the moment you let technology into your life and body. Transhumanism VS. Posthumanism Transhumanists preach that the main task of a person is to improve the quality of their own life and overcome illness and death. Technology should be the best helper in this process. Cyborgization, regenerative medicine, various digital practices — virtual reality, metaverses — all this should make a person happy. Sounds defiant, doesn’t it? On the other hand, technology has been simplifying our lives for a long time. We just do not notice it: cars, microwaves, phones, the Internet, search engines, and so on. There is also a more radical approach, posthumanism. This philosophy is based on the consideration that man has reached the peak of their evolution in the Darwinian understanding and, to reach the next level; it is necessary not just to apply the product of his intellectual activity, but to directly implement it into life: to implant a chip in the brain to improve vision or hearing. This can also include biohacking, improving health indicators with the help of medicines, a proper lifestyle, and, of course, technologies, such as chips that read blood pressure, temperature, and sugar levels. Not the treatment of diseases, but the upgrade of the body and its own capabilities. Three Whales of Transhumanism Both trends are mostly theoretical, but the three main ideas of transhumanism seem intriguing. The first is super longevity. The belief that life is finite, and even more so limited by a conditional century, is a cultural stereotype that forces a person to distribute events within the time allotted to a human: to get married before the age of 25, to give birth before 30, to reach success before 45. What if you imagine that life is 200, or even 250 years? How will our attitude towards the time change? To your own health and biological age? What if we don't rush, try to do more, and adjust our lifestyle to this idea? A second duty of a transhuman is to raise the standard of living by reducing stress. Stress has become the main disease of the 21st century, the primary source of other problems and illnesses. A high standard of living is not only material goods, it is primarily harmony with oneself. This is what transhumanism adherers suggest to focus on. The third thesis of transhumanism is as follows: a person must combine the abilities of the brain and technology. Disturbing, right? In fact, we have been delegating some brain functions to neural networks for a long time: memory, sensory organs, and biological clocks, to name a few. We get up on the alarm clock, we do not waste time trying to remember the actor's name, we trust the route suggested by the navigator — and we are unlikely to follow it on our own. The neural network helps eliminate some processes, change our needs, reduce the time for completing tasks, and manage to do the important ones. Is It Even Possible? In theory, it is possible to achieve superintelligence by combining the capabilities of the human brain and a computer. Special implants could stimulate brain function, allow you to access the Internet, and interact with computers or other implant carriers. Today, such technologies are used only for medical purposes. For example, scientists at have developed implants that can stimulate individual parts of the brain with the help of electrical impulses and thus help address depression or Parkinson's disease. Stanford University All these utopian developments can inspire or make you think about improving your life. In the fight against AI anxiety, you just need to start. The first piece of advice unanimously given by those who work with neural networks is to stop calling this technology artificial intelligence. Intelligence — the defining characteristic between a human and an animal — remains man's main strength. There are no competitors on the horizon so far.

AI: Friend or Foe? What's Behind Our Fear of Artificial Intelligence?

254 Stories To Learn About Healthcare

Vision is the main channel by which man receives his impressions

What is Decentralized Science (DeSci)?

বিকেন্দ্রীভূত বিজ্ঞান (DeSci) কি?

Was ist dezentrale Wissenschaft (DeSci)?

¿Qué es la Ciencia Descentralizada (DeSci)?

Qu'est-ce que la science décentralisée (DeSci) ?

विकेंद्रीकृत विज्ञान (DeSci) क्या है?

分散型科学 (DeSci) とは?

분산 과학(DeSci)이란 무엇입니까?

O que é Ciência Descentralizada (DeSci)?

Merkezi Olmayan Bilim (DeSci) Nedir?

Khoa học phi tập trung (DeSci) là gì?

什么是去中心化科学 (DeSci)？

ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL FACULTIES DURING PRIMEVAL AND CIVILISED TIMES

‘Design-first’ is an approach to building APIs that requires an API definition to be committed before any code is written. In the arena of public opinion, it has been both booed and applauded. In API product development, where the rubber meets the road, what obstacles do we meet along the way? Let's take a dive deep into how to succeed in a design-first approach to APIs. Front-Loading Design Design-first requires an API definition, but what does that look like? An API definition may come in a format readable by both humans and machines. Which format to choose is often a secondary concern to the technology chosen for communication semantics. Some examples: RESTful APIs may use OpenAPI Specification GraphQL APIs use the GraphQL Schema Definition Language gRPC APIs may use Protocol Buffers Event-based APIs may use AsyncAPI Specification Below is an example of what an OpenAPI definition might look like for an API that helps consumers find famous quotes: We start constructing an interface definition, a contract between API Producer and API Consumer. This serves as our guide to trekking further into the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC). 📜 # quotable-openapi.yaml

openapi: 3.1.0
info:
  version: "1.0.0"
  title: Quotable API
servers:
  - url: https://quotable.apilab.io
paths:
  /quotes:
    get:
      operationId: listQuotes
      description: List all the famous quotes.
      responses:
        "200":
          description: OK
          content:
            "application/json":
              schema:
                $ref: "common-openapi.yaml#/components/schemas/QuoteList"
# Schemas are introduced in just a moment... But how do we even get to this point? See to get some ideas! 5 Developer Tips for Surviving API-First The Promise of Design-First Many benefits have been promoted as guarantees on the box. Let's take a look at a few of them. Reduced Development Costs According to a by IBM System Science Institute, fixing a bug in testing is more expensive than fixing it in design. Wowza. frequently-cited research paper 15 times Presumably, spending more time on design-first should reduce the number of bugs. Do these APIs support our acceptance criteria? Are we seeing good cohesion within each API? What are the coupling constraints? Easy On-Boarding API Consumers come in all shapes and sizes. They may be folks building applications that rely on an API. They may test engineers. They may even be new hires joining the API Producer team. Can we derive documentation from our API definition? Can we generate client SDKs? Can we scaffold assets such as API tests? Early Design Governance If we're brainstorming contracts early in the process, we have an opportunity to add a governance gate. Do all collection-based paths have plural names? Are parameters in camelCase? Do property names match our ? Ubiquitous Language # common-openapi.yaml

openapi: 3.1.0
info:
  version: "1.0.0"
  title: Common Components
paths: {}
components:
  schemas:
    QuoteList:
      type: array
      items:
        $ref: "#/components/schemas/QuoteItem"
    QuoteItem:
      type: object
      required:
        - id
        - content
        - author
        - authorId
        - authorSlug
        - length
      properties:
        id:
          type: string
        content:
          type: string
        author:
          type: string
        tags:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
        authorId:
          type: string
        authorSlug:
          type: string
        length:
          type: number This is all enabled by design-first. For example, schema definition becomes a point of review for APIs early in the cycle. introduced full support for . OpenAPI 3.1.0 JSON Schema 2020-12 Are we good? May we pass? The Downside of Design-First While all of these benefits seem good and healthy, there are some historically detrimental anti-patterns re-surfacing to plague our efforts. 😈 Let's illuminate their disastrous intentions. Big Design Up Front Ah, yes, our old nemesis, Big Design Up Front (BDUF). So insidious, it has a silly acronym. This anti-pattern comes to us from decades of following a of SDLC. waterfall model The most common criticism of BDUF is its inability to pivot in the face of change. It eliminates a necessary feedback cycle between design and implementation, burning cycles without having the wisdom gleaned by concrete systems interactions. Lava Flow Team members move on to different projects. Trends in architecture change rapidly. What happens when design responsibility shifts over time? Knowledge of why decisions were made are often lost. When we don't understand the context, we look to make changes with less information. This is a recipe for breaking changes and a pile of refactoring initiatives that may never complete. This anti-pattern is known as . It's helpful to be aware of this at the onset of any API initiative. Lava Flow Design by Committee With no designated decision-maker, even a small design can take a disproportionately long time to nail down. Coupled with Big Design Up Front, this is a significant contributing factor to project stagnation. The anti-pattern is a nasty trap that leads to work that's behind schedule, over-budget, and fragmented. Design by Committee Filling the Potholes All is not lost. Fortunately for us, we have loads of experience in the industry and have several strategies from which we can learn. Just Enough Design Initially The inverse of BDUF is to allow all design to emerge from the implementation, sometimes referred to as , though definitions of this term may vary. Emergent Design We need to be careful of reaching an over-reliance on allowing all design to emerge from code. The danger is in spinning our precious SDLC cycles on code maintenance as we drift far from big picture guidance. One compromising philosophy is known as . Just Enough Design Initially (JEDI) "However, my basic rule of thumb for knowing when enough modeling has been done up front is, when after one pass through the envisioned scope of the software in question, modeling in small groups does not produce any new classes or associations of real significance." - Steve Palmer, , 2003 Feature Driven Development We do spend time on design-first, but we keep it within the boundaries of what we understand in the moment, allowing more data to influence our design as we begin a technical implementation. Iterative Design If we spend time at the start of the API lifecycle thinking about design, what steps can we take to create a tight feedback loop? just enough For APIs, this means: Start with a design document, such as an OpenAPI definition, using tools that enable collaboration. Launch a based on this design. mock server Write both API Producer and API Consumer to inform the next iteration. contract tests Optionally, as the design iterations continue, techniques like dynamic routing via an can direct clients to either the mock server or a prototype of the API server as it's built. API Gateway This strategy helps us secure a design while putting in just enough implementation to prove our design actually works in the real world! 🎉 API as a Product When we think about software products, there's typically a human-facing interface, such as a web application. Our APIs are more than just integration vehicles. They require the care necessary for any product in our catalogue. Here are some tips to help legitimize an API as a product: Design is always prioritized. Appoint an API Product Manager to help guide the experience, stakeholder communication, and development. Plan for longevity. The contracts we create between API Producer and Consumer need care and documentation. Consider to document the motivating factors and evaluated solutions, helping future owners understand how we got here. Architectural Decision Records Further reading on how teams may evolve to meet our API product needs: . Scale API teams with Platform Ops Zooming Forward At a high level, many of these concepts can be applied to all software development. Here are some of the benefits: API implementations will have high levels of cohesion. There will be less rework post-implementation. The design and implementation are more adaptive to change. Design-first may require a big shift in how we think about our API lifecycle. Keep all of this in mind, and our future selves will thank us. 😌 Looking for a place to chat more about design-first with OpenAPI? Check out the ! OpenAPI Discord community Social photo by on Rick J. Brown Unsplash Co-published here.

Why is a ‘Design-First’ Approach to Building APIs Controversial? How Does One Win at It?

HUMAN LONGEVITY INSTITUTE

humanlongevityinstitute.com

1-10 employees

Since 2021

COMPANY RANKING

HUMAN LONGEVITY INSTITUTE

EVERGREEN INDEX #4879

Representing this company? Click here to claim and customize this page!

Human Longevity Institute WIKI

Apply to get your Tech Company News Page live on HackerNoon.com today!

HUMAN LONGEVITY INSTITUTE

humanlongevityinstitute.com

1-10 employees

Since 2021

COMPANY RANKING

HUMAN LONGEVITY INSTITUTE

EVERGREEN INDEX #4879

RELATED COMPANIESRANK

STORIES ABOUT HUMAN LONGEVITY INSTITUTE

Representing this company? Click here to claim and customize this page!

Human Longevity Institute WIKI

Apply to get your Tech Company News Page live on HackerNoon.com today!