In this article, Jesse Swart’s Blog explores how developers can leverage GitHub Copilot to work with external APIs, especially when SDKs or OpenAPI specifications are missing. Handling APIs with only documentation (and no formal SDKs or specs) can be a challenge, but tools like GitHub Copilot can greatly simplify the process.

The article centers around a practical example: integrating the OpenWeather API to retrieve current weather information for a specific location. The OpenWeather API provides documentation, but does not come with an official SDK or OpenAPI specification, which means developers must implement the integration manually.

Jesse demonstrates how GitHub Copilot can be utilized to streamline this process. Copilot reads the available documentation and generates relevant code snippets, helping to bridge the gap and accelerate development. By using Copilot’s suggestions, the process of forming HTTP requests, parsing responses, and managing authentication becomes much smoother, even with sparse or only text-based API documentation.

The article highlights:

  • The common pain points of consuming APIs lacking SDKs or specs
  • How Copilot can interpret API docs and suggest working code
  • Practical steps to connect to the OpenWeather API, including building requests and handling responses

In summary, the post showcases GitHub Copilot as a valuable assistant for quickly and efficiently consuming external APIs using only their documentation, making it easier for developers to integrate third-party services.

This post appeared first on Jesse Swart’s Blog. Read the entire article here