Edition 5: The Arazzo Spec – A Deep Dive
“From developers to testers and beyond, we’re committed to empowering you with the tools and knowledge to succeed.“
Welcome to edition #5 of the SmartBear DevRel Newsletter – No Fluff, Just Real Stuff ™.
Edition Spotlight
Take a deep-dive into Arazzo, with Frank Kilcommins. Be sure to bookmark this page, as it is a great reference guide during your Arazzo rollouts.
Read more >>
Feature Insight
AI-powered API design and Standardization (beta) in SmartBear API Hub
We’ve just released (in beta) a new AI-powered capability for API design and governance – helping you go from API concept to OpenAPI document in seconds using plain natural language.
Check out the video to see HaloAI in action and how API templates and governance rules are leveraged helping you iterate towards a compliant OpenAPI design.
The DevRel Library
API Evangelist Conversation – The Evolution of the OpenAPI Initiative
Frank recently caught up with Kin Lane (a.k.a. The API Evangelist) to talk about the evolution of the OpenAPI Initiative, and the work of releasing the Arazzo and Overlay specifications. As we ebb and flow within technology cycles, it’s important for standards to evolve. If you’re interested in API standards and/or would like to learn more or how to get involved, then this convo is a must listen – Kin salutes you!
The rise of AI-agents: How Arazzo Is Defining the Future of API Workflows
With AI agents revolutionizing software interactions, Frank authored a stellar piece for TheNewStack on why structured API workflows ensure such interactions will operate efficiently.
Check out the blog here.
Software communities: The raw, honest, and invaluable resource you can’t buy
The future of software is about more than just business objectives — it’s about the people who come together to build, share, and grow.
Check out Jo Laing’s latest piece for DevPro Journal
Some other topical pieces we deemed share worthy in our current edition:
- The OpenAPI Advantage: Breaking Free from Vendor Lock-in by Kevin Swiber
- The EU is taking a stance on open digital ecosystems aimed at tackling tech monopolisation by Natasha Lomas
- What’s needed to provide better agent experience (AX) – by Sean Roberts
Around the world OSS
Up your presenting game, with these open source goodies.
- Massive monitor? Massive Headache. Not anymore. Use Deskpad to create virtual monitors, to share presentations your audience can actually read. Check out DeskPad
- Make tech presentations pretty with this code highlighter. Check out Code Highlighter
- Peeved with Powerpoint. Cross with KeyNote. Google slides being snide? Check out slidev
Product Spotlight
API Hub for Test (Beta) – Smarter Scalable API Testing
Meet the latest addition to SmartBear API Hub: API Hub for Test. It’s designed for teams who want to automate functional, regression, and integration testing without the drag of brittle tooling. Generate tests from your API designs, run them in CI/CD, and catch issues before they break production — all from one place.
In beta now. GA drops in two weeks!
Read the docs here or try it out below.
Webinar: What’s New in API Hub: Standardize, Collaborate, and Scale with Confidence
APIs drive innovation for organizations, but inconsistent standards and disconnected workflows can slow teams down, introduce risk, and create unnecessary complexity. SmartBear API Hub helps organizations take control of API development with a unified approach to design, testing, and documentation—ensuring standardization, collaboration, and scalability.
Register below to learn more about the latest API Hub enhancements designed to drive consistency, efficiency, and seamless teamwork across the API lifecycle.
DevRels on Tour
Devies Award 2025
Frank attended DeveloperWeek in Santa Clara, where he was wearing many hats. His eacher hat, for a workshop “Intro to Contract Testing: Evolving APIs Safely”, his presenting hat, for his talk on “Describing API Workflows with Arazzo” and finally his crown, for receiving a 2025 DEVIES award for excellence in API Management & Support – well done SmartBear!
For the eagle-eyed, you’ll also notice Frank’s Pact Nirvana T-shirt, custom designed by the DevRel team & Co, to show our support to Pact community heroes who’ve helped Pact, PactFlow & SmartBear customers find their way. To find out how you can get yourself some cool SmartBear open source swag, get in touch with us at devrel@smartbear.com. Check out the Devie Awards 2025
APIDays New York
If you’re attending APIDays NY, stop by the SmartBear booth for some awesome swag and a natter.
Learnings
Want to learn more about the new SmartBear API Hub?
Check our our Intro course, Contract Testing course, and API Hub Administration course. All courses are free!
Check out SmartBear Academy
Need to advertise that an API or HTTP resource is going away?
Use The Deprecation HTTP Response Header Field which has now been formalized into an RFC:
RFC Editor
New HTTP QUERY Method
Now’s as good a time as any to familiarize yourself with proposals for an new QUERY HTTP method. No more GETs with a request body or POSTs for querying data. The caching and support signalling aspects are especially interesting.
Read more >>
Open Source @ SmartBear
SmartBear has a powerful and comprehensive suite of open-source tools.
Have you used one or more of these products as part of your development toolset?
Useful links to learn more:
Check out Swagger
Check out Pact
Check out Spectral, Prism, and Elements
Check out Cucumber
Check out SOAPUI
Meet the Team
Leaving you with…
Explore the cloud native world, with Phippy and Friends, with thanks to the CNCF.
Phippy and Friends
// The SmartBear DevRel Team
# GitHub: https://github.com/SmartBear-DevRel
# Email: devrel@smartbear.com