Primary Categories: [[01 - Public Notes]] Secondary Categories: { Add link(s) back to related SECONDARY categories } Tags and Links: { Add additional relevant tags and links } # [[Bezos API Memo]] ## The Mandate The mandate in question was issued in 2002 to Amazon by founder Jeff Bezos. For many reasons, it’s become somewhat legendary in the API/microservices space, as it formed the basis for much of the modern API design paradigm within the corporate view. By legend, the mandate is as follows: > 1. All teams will henceforth expose their data and functionality through service interfaces. > 2. Teams must communicate with each other through these interfaces. > 3. There will be no other form of interprocess communication allowed: no direct linking, no direct reads of another team’s data store, no shared-memory model, no back-doors whatsoever. The only communication allowed is via service interface calls over the network. > 4. It doesn’t matter what technology they use. HTTP, Corba, Pubsub, custom protocols — doesn’t matter. > 5. All service interfaces, without exception, must be designed from the ground up to be externalizable. That is to say, the team must plan and design to be able to expose the interface to developers in the outside world. No exceptions. > 6. Anyone who doesn’t do this will be fired. > 7. Thank you; have a nice day!