API Design for Distributed APIs
- Updated2023-02-17
- 1 minute(s) read
API Design for Distributed APIs
Refer to the following table for best practices for designing VIs.
| Guideline | Required or Recommended? | Details | Example(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Include every public VI in your API in the API palette. |
Required |
Users may not look on disk to find advanced VIs. If a VI is not ready or intended for public consumption, make the VI private in the API component. |
N/A |
|
Do not use a VI in your API to open a dialog box unless that is the stated intent of the VI. |
Required |
N/A | N/A |
|
If you expect multiple calls of your API VI to run in parallel, consider making the VI reentrant. |
Recommended |
If the VI stores any internal state in feedback nodes or uninitialized shift registers, make the VI reentrant and stateful, such as a preallocated clone. If the VI doesn't store any internal state, make it stateless, as a shared clone. | N/A |
Related Information
- Best Practices for Designing and Developing an Application Programming Interface (API) in G Web Development Software
To develop an API to distribute to other users that is consistent with NI style recommendations for G content, refer to the following best practice guidelines:
- File Organization and Node Naming for Distributed APIs
Refer to the following table for best practices for organizing files and naming nodes.
- Component Organization for Distributed APIs
Refer to the following table for best practices for organizing components.
- Icons and Connector Panes for Distributed APIs
Refer to the following table for best practices for creating icons and connector panes.
- Panel Design for Distributed APIs
Refer to the following table for best practices for designing panels.
- Data Type Selection for Distributed APIs
Refer to the following table for best practices for selecting data types.
- Palette Taxonomy for Distributed APIs
Refer to the following table for best practices for palette taxonomy.
- Documentation for Distributed APIs
Refer to the following table for best practices for documenting an API.
- Error Message Design for Distributed APIs
Refer to the following table for best practices for designing error messages.