# api-onboarding

Walks through a developer's first steps with an API and points at the friction: auth, sandbox, interactive docs, time to first call.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · ★ 87
- Author: jonathimer
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/jonathimer/devmarketing-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/api-onboarding/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-03-03
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/api-onboarding

## What it does

The skill maps the journey from a developer landing on your docs to a working API response, and flags where people drop off. It breaks TTFAC into stages: finding the quickstart, signing up, getting a key, installing the SDK, running the first request. You get instrumentation points for each event and a nudge to track the median rather than the average.

A large section covers authentication. It lists the patterns that cost you users: an approval queue before access, keys buried several menus deep, a chain of email, phone and payment checks standing between signup and a key. The suggested fix is a test key handed out right away, a plain key header in the quickstart, and production requirements pushed to later.

Sandbox design and interactive docs get their own treatment: separate endpoints, key prefixes, pre-loaded test data, magic card values, and a try-it panel that returns real responses. The skill leans on the companion `developer-audience-context` skill, so without it you will fill some gaps yourself.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --skill api-onboarding -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/api-onboarding/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/api-onboarding/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --skill api-onboarding -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/api-onboarding/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --skill api-onboarding -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/api-onboarding/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install jonathimer/devmarketing-skills api-onboarding
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/api-onboarding/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --skill api-onboarding -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --path skills/api-onboarding
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/api-onboarding/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add jonathimer/devmarketing-skills --skill api-onboarding -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/jonathimer/devmarketing-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/api-onboarding/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- measure time to first successful API call stage by stage
- cut verification steps between signup and a test key
- build a sandbox that mirrors real responses and errors
- add a try-it panel backed by live API responses
- find the step where developers abandon integration

## Example prompts
- Audit our API onboarding and show where developers lose time before the first call
- Suggest how to hand out a test key right after signup
- Draft a requirements checklist for our API sandbox

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 37b8c5e174f497aa.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 37b8c5e174f497aa
````text
---
name: api-onboarding
description: |
  Reduce time-to-first-API-call (TTFAC) by optimizing every step of the developer onboarding journey. This skill covers authentication simplification, sandbox environments, interactive documentation, and identifying and eliminating common failure points.

  Trigger phrases: "API onboarding", "time to first API call", "TTFAC", "developer onboarding", "first API call", "auth simplification", "sandbox environment", "interactive docs", "try it now", "API playground", "developer activation", "onboarding friction"
metadata:
  version: 1.0.0
---

# Reducing Time-to-First-API-Call

The time between a developer discovering your API and successfully making their first call is the most critical window in your entire developer journey. Every minute of friction here costs you potential users.

## Overview

Time-to-First-API-Call (TTFAC) is the single most predictive metric for developer adoption. Developers who succeed quickly become active users. Developers who struggle leave—often silently.

This skill covers:
- Measuring and optimizing TTFAC
- Removing authentication friction
- Creating effective sandbox environments
- Building interactive documentation
- Identifying and fixing common failure points

## Before You Start

Review the **developer-audience-context** skill to understand:
- What's the typical technical sophistication of your developers?
- What tools and environments do they commonly use?
- What alternative products have they tried? What was their experience?
- What's their urgency level? (Evaluating vs. building immediately)

Your onboarding should meet developers where they are.

## Understanding TTFAC

### What TTFAC Measures

Time-to-First-API-Call measures the elapsed time from a developer's first interaction to their first successful API response. This includes:

1. **Discovery time**: Finding the "Get Started" content
2. **Signup time**: Creating an account
3. **Credential time**: Obtaining API keys
4. **Setup time**: Installing SDK, configuring environment
5. **Execution time**: Running first request
6. **Success time**: Receiving successful response

### TTFAC Benchmarks

| Rating | TTFAC | Developer Experience |
|--------|-------|---------------------|
| **Excellent** | < 5 min | "This is amazing" |
| **Good** | 5-15 min | "Pretty straightforward" |
| **Acceptable** | 15-30 min | "Got there eventually" |
| **Poor** | 30-60 min | "This is frustrating" |
| **Failing** | > 60 min | "I'll try something else" |

### Measuring TTFAC

**Instrumentation points:**
```javascript
// Track these events with timestamps
analytics.track('docs_quickstart_viewed');
analytics.track('signup_started');
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 37b8c5e174f497aa

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---
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