How would you troubleshoot when a third-party API suddenly stops working in your mobile app?

Many APIs have a status page or dashboard where they post updates about outages or maintenance. Look at the error codes or messages returned by the API. They can often provide clues about what went wrong. Ensure you have detailed logging to capture the exact error responses and any additional information that might be useful. Implement fallback mechanisms to handle cases where the API is down, such as showing cached data or providing a user-friendly message. Consider implementing retry logic with exponential backoff in case of transient issues.

When there is a service outage, my first line of check is usually the application logs, depending on the log level. To make things even more automated, I write perl scripts that search the logs for keywords and set off alarms. You may be able to identify problems more quickly this way.

When a third-party API suddenly stops working in my mobile app, I start by confirming the issue’s scope—is it a global outage or just affecting my app? Next, I check the API documentation and any official channels for updates or changes. If nothing is reported, I examine the error logs for clues and use tools like Postman to test the API endpoints directly. If authentication is involved, I verify that the API keys or tokens are still valid. Meanwhile, I notify stakeholders and consider implementing a temporary fallback to maintain app functionality while the issue is resolved.

Test the API Manually ? Use Tools Like Postman or Curl: Manually send requests to the API using a tool like Postman or curl to check if the issue is with your app or the API itself. ? Use Sample Endpoints: Try accessing the API's sample endpoints or different methods (GET, POST, etc.) to see if it’s a widespread issue or specific to certain routes. if working fine then Check for Changes in the API ? Read API Documentation: Look for any changes in the API's documentation, such as deprecated endpoints, new authentication methods, or parameter changes. ? Check Versioning: Ensure your app is using the correct API version. Some providers release breaking changes in newer versions.

Logs are invaluable for troubleshooting API issues. When integrating third-party APIs, I consistently log both the requests sent and the responses received, including headers. This practice provides crucial insights into the interaction, enabling effective identification and resolution of potential problems.

Before diving into troubleshooting, always check the third-party API's status page. If there's an outage or performance issue reported, it might explain the app malfunction. This step is key to understanding if the problem is on your end or with the service provider.

After reviewing the logs, I always verify the status of the third-party API. Many service providers maintain status pages that display real-time service conditions. Checking these pages can quickly reveal if there's an ongoing outage or performance degradation on their end, which might explain the issues in your app. This step is critical as it helps differentiate between problems on your side versus those with the third-party service. Knowing this directs your troubleshooting efforts effectively, whether it's implementing a workaround or waiting for the provider to resolve the issue.

In addition to the error messages, API status pages, if they exist, should give you additional crucial information. However, it is important to note that at times, the status page can either be inaccurate, or lagging, so always take this status with a pinch of salt.

After log analysis, I check the API's status page. This verifies if outages or performance issues affect my app. Identifying external causes saves time and resources. It helps focus troubleshooting on resolvable issues.

After checking logs, verify the status of the third-party API. Many APIs provide status pages or dashboards where you can see if there are any known outages or issues. Additionally, services like DownDetector can show if other users are experiencing similar problems. My thoughts: Monitoring API status should be part of your proactive strategy. Using tools like Pingdom or UptimeRobot to monitor APIs you depend on can alert you to problems before they affect your users.

Investigate the error log for more detailed information, focusing on whether the issue is intermittent or if there is a specific sequence of actions that consistently triggers the error. Additionally, look for any available updates and relevant information regarding known issues. Check for patterns that may indicate a correlation between the problem and specific device models or operating system versions. It’s important to note that sometimes an update can inadvertently cause issues on particular devices or operating systems.

Ensure API Responses are Normal and the API returns successful status codes (e.g., 2XX) and no obvious errors, verify that the responses look correct and as expected in your manual tests or unit tests. Look into any recent changes made in your application that might affect the API integration. If possible, rollback recent changes to see if the issue is resolved. Consult the API Documentation: Review the third-party API documentation to see if there have been any recent changes. Pay close attention to New Attributes , Updated Attributes or any deprecated features.If you find that the API response has changed (e.g., new or updated attributes), update your application code to handle these changes correctly.

If the API's status is normal, the next step I take is to review any recent changes to the mobile app's codebase that might affect the API integration. It's common for updates or new features to inadvertently disrupt existing functionalities. I ensure that the code adheres to the API's current specifications, as providers may have rolled out updates that require adjustments on our end. This review is crucial to confirm that the application remains compatible with the API and hasn't introduced any inconsistencies that could cause the issues.

If the API status is normal, the next step is to review recent changes in your app and the API. This includes checking for updates to the API documentation, changes in authentication methods, or new endpoints. Similarly, assess any recent updates or changes in your app that might have introduced compatibility issues. My thoughts: Continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) pipelines should include automated tests that validate API integration whenever changes are made. This reduces the risk of breaking changes going unnoticed.

- Monitor: Set up alerts to know if the API fails. - Inform: Show a message like "Something went wrong, please try again." - Save: If possible, store data on the phone to use when the API is down. - Retry: Make your app try reconnecting in a few minutes. - Plan B: Use another API or basic features if the main one fails. - Improve: Learn from the issue and adjust your app. This keeps your app working smoothly even if the API fails.

I suggest that we begin by testing the API using Postman or another external tool to verify whether it is working correctly. This initial step will help us identify any immediate issues. Once we confirm the functionality, we can proceed with the subsequent steps based on the results and any adjustments that may be necessary.

One of the most common breakages that I’ve seen is when 3rd parties update their endpoints breaking backward compatibility. 1. Maintain comprehensive collections for all endpoints. 2. Use environment variables to switch between dev/staging/production. 3. Implement assertions to validate response structures and data types. 4. Test for common response body format issues like missing fields or unexpected nulls. 5. Regularly update tests to match API changes. This approach quickly isolates issues, especially response format problems that often break integrations. It serves as living API documentation and helps catch breaking changes early.

Create a test suite that exercises the third party as a canary, running at a regular cadence. This is your first warning if something is going wrong. Logs are fine, but are only usually queryable after you’ve noticed something go wrong. You’ll want to know when something is going wrong first.

If no obvious changes have been made, try testing the API locally. Use tools like Postman or cURL to send requests to the API directly, bypassing your app’s code. This can help you determine if the issue is with the API itself or how your app is interacting with it. My thoughts: Local testing is a vital step that isolates the problem. If the API works with direct requests but fails through your app, the issue likely lies in your app’s code or configuration.

A simulator on web or HTTP tool which can capture request and response will be helpful to debug 3rd party API, as can't enabled log capturing at runtime.

If the issue appears to originate from the third-party API, contacting their support team is essential. Providing detailed logs of both requests and responses, along with clear reproduction steps, can significantly aid in their investigation and resolution of the problem.

If you've confirmed that the API is down or not behaving as expected and you’ve exhausted your troubleshooting steps, it’s time to contact the API provider’s support team. Provide them with detailed information, including error logs, steps to reproduce the issue, and any tests you’ve conducted. My thoughts: Establishing a good relationship with third-party API providers can speed up resolution times. Being a paying customer or having a service level agreement (SLA) in place can also influence response times.

Yeah, sports have a lot of information majority of the time because they have a large customer base and all of them are reporting some sort of errors to them, so they have a good knowledge of what kind of integration of an api so it's always a good choice to go to the support and ask. For the help. Show them the detail errors you are facing

As soon as you identify an issue or discrepancy with the API, reach out to the third-party vendor’s support team without delay. Early communication can save time, especially if the issue is due to changes on their end. Ask the vendor to provide any relevant logs or insights from their side. Obtain the most up-to-date API documentation from the vendor, especially if they have released a new version or made significant changes. Maintain communication with the vendor until the issue is fully resolved. This ensures you are informed about any ongoing issues or further updates.

If local testing and previous troubleshooting steps haven't resolved the issue, I turn to the third-party API's support team. Providing them with detailed information, such as error logs, the troubleshooting steps I've taken, and any specific observations, is crucial for a swift resolution. Effective communication with the API provider often leads to quicker fixes, as they have the expertise and insights needed to resolve issues on their end. It's important to remember that their support channels are there to ensure their API works smoothly with your app, so utilizing them is a key part of the troubleshooting process.

Design your codebase and user experience to always have a fallback in case the third-party starts failing. As by definition, third-party is not under your control so be very thorough in all error handling and gracefully degrade experience.

If a third-party API issue requires extended resolution, implementing a temporary workaround is essential to maintain user experience. Disabling the affected functionality or providing alternative options, such as offering PayPal or Google Pay as payment alternatives if Stripe is unavailable, can mitigate disruptions.

Es fundamental que estas medidas se tengan en cuenta durante el dise?o y desarrollo, para evitar problemas cuando la App está en producción. Algunas recomendaciones son: - Uso de servidor propio como fachada de la API siempre que sea posible. Así se pueden realizar actuaciones rápidas si fuera necesario. - Uso de otros proveedores e implementación de estrategías de selección de proveedor en la lógica en caso de errores concretos. - Selección de proveedores y activación desactivación de manera remota de funcionalidades, mediante parámetros de la configuración que puedan recibir cambios remotos, como por ejemplo con mensajes PUSH. - Flujos alternativos que permitan al usuario hacer uso de la APP sin la funcionalidad afectada si es posible

When dealing with a failing third-party API, it’s important to implement workarounds to ensure minimal disruption for users. How to handle Some technics - Use Cached Responses Cache successful API responses so that in case of failure, you can serve users with previously fetched data. This is particularly useful for APIs that don’t change frequently (e.g., product listings, user profiles). ?? -Set Cache Expiry Ensure that cached data has a reasonable expiration time to prevent serving stale data. ?? -Limited Functionality Disable or restrict only the functionality that depends on the third-party API, while still allowing users to perform other tasks.

firstly check logs, for error code or exception/error messages. still, all possible or potential issues i am trying to mention here - 1. do we have right authorization and authentication 2. is that a subscription based model? 3. mobile app, updated (pushed new code changes)? is it not working for all or few? 4. mobile OS updates? 5. Can we go back to previous version of 3rd party APIs? 6. is this scalability/load issue? 7. debug together with 3rd party API team.