API change management
PaxFaB is not a versioned API. Instead API changes are classified as either Minor, Major Optional, or Major Mandatory; and the corresponding policy followed.
Minor
For minor changes no development work should be required by you as long as your integration adheres to Paxport’s guidance and gracefully accepts minor changes (see later “Minor vs Major” section for definition). Though you may wish to make changes to take advantage of the new features included in the minor change.
Major - optional
Optional major changes will almost certainly require you to make development changes if the new functionality is enabled for you.
These changes are referred to as optional because they will be feature gated/switched on the PaxFaB backend then either:
- disabled by default for pre-existing API users
- or enabled by default but you will be notified of the option to disable pre-release
Major - mandatory
Mandatory major changes will almost certainly require you to make development changes by a deadline. If you fail to make any necessary changes you will be unable to continue using PaxFab once the deadline is reached.
Mandatory major changes are rare on the PaxFab API and deadlines are devised through customer consultation. The typical deadline would be 12 months.
Notifications
Emails will be sent out for all “Major Mandatory” release events and for most “Major Optional” release events. It is therefore important that you keep your release contacts up to date with Paxport Customer Services.
Minor vs Major
We consider the following Paxport initiated changes to be minor:
- Adding new API endpoints/messages
- As long as they don’t result in a mandatory change to an existing flow.
- Adding new response fields
- Adding new optional request fields
- Making an optional response field mandatory
- Making a mandatory request field optional
- Reordering of response fields for XML elements and attributes
- Unless an order has previously been explicitly defined in written documentation
- Changing the contents of any field as long as it stays within the limits of the API specification.