Why API tooling needs a reset (and what we're doing about it)

What’s Going Wrong

Well, a lot of things, really.

Let’s talk real-life examples: A retail app team was rushing to launch a new feature for real-time order tracking. The backend team updated the API specs in one tool, but the frontend team was working off outdated docs stored in another platform. The frontend built the UI expecting a different response format, say, a nested JSON object, but the backend team switched to a flat structure. When they integrated, the order tracking broke, showing wrong delivery statuses to customers. Integration testing caught it, but not before the team lost hours debugging, with frontend and backend pointing fingers over whose spec was right.

This isn’t a one-off. When teams rely on 5-6 apps for designing, testing, and documenting APIs, workflows get clunky and confusing. Specs, tests, and docs live in separate places, so they fall out of sync, leading to outdated info and integration failures. Frontend developers build to a spec that’s no longer valid, backend developers push updates that don’t make it to the docs, and QA teams are left guessing what’s supposed to work. On top of that, online platforms charge per-user fees, track your data, and force you into their cloud-based setups, leaving you stuck with their bugs and downtime.

This mess slows down entire projects. Teams miss deadlines, clients lose trust, and developers burn out from endless context-switching between tools. Or at the very least, you’ve got plenty of frustrated developers. Imagine spending half your day flipping between apps, double-checking specs, or arguing over which version of the docs is current. It’s death by a thousand cuts for developers, tech leads, QAs, and DevOps trying to ship reliable software.

Why is it happening? Tooling companies aren’t building for developers. They’re building for their own bottom line. They churn out platforms with shiny features like AI dashboards or enterprise integrations, chasing subscriptions instead of solving real problems. That results in platforms that lock teams in, collect data, and add complexity.

If we want API development to be less of a headache, we need tools that actually understand how developers work, tools that keep teams aligned, cut the noise, and let code do the talking.

What are we doing about it?

You can read the story behind the frustration that resulted in Voiden being built. The idea was straightforward: stop forcing developers to adapt to tools and start building a tool that adapts to developers, a single tool for the API workflow.

Voiden, while still early-stage, is free, VC-independent, lightweight, and offline. You don’t need an account, and no data gets sent to a cloud server. An in-app terminal is there, and a fully markdown-based editor for you to document everything about your APIs.

Something that isn’t available in alternative tools is the DRY principle. In Voiden, you can define elements you want to reuse across APIs and simply import them where you need them. For example, headers, query parameters, or anything else that makes sense to be reused. Just define, import, and save hours on not repeating yourself.

When you’re happy with the state of the API, use Git commands in the terminal to version it or collaborate with teammates. None of that pay-per-seat nonsense.

How Voiden Works: Simpler, Code-Based, Team-Friendly

Voiden takes the mess out of API development by letting you design, test, and document APIs in one place, right next to your codebase. It’s built for developers who live in editors and Git repos, ensuring frontend, backend, QA, and DevOps all work from the same source of truth.

What API workflows should look like:

• Code-like workflow: Write APIs in .void Markdown files, stored in your Git repo alongside your code, so specs, tests, and docs are always in sync.

• No tool-hopping: Create specs, run tests, and generate docs without leaving your editor, keeping frontend and backend teams aligned.

• DRY by design: Define reusable elements like headers or error codes once, then import them across APIs to save time and avoid mistakes.

• Extensible: Install (or build yourself) plugins for any additional features you may need.

• Offline and free: No cloud subscriptions, no data tracking, just your machine and your code.

Here’s an example of how API workflows look like in Voiden.

You can define common headers or query params once, and import them across the project to avoid repetition. Docs are built within the same file, so everyone’s working off the same info. Push it to your Git repo using the in-app terminal, and it’s ready for your CI/CD pipeline. No extra apps, no outdated docs, no frontend-backend arguments.

Why this matters?

The API tooling world is a mess because it’s built to serve vendors, not developers. Companies keep pushing platforms that trap teams in pricey subscriptions, snoop on your data, and force you to juggle multiple apps just to keep specs aligned.

The fallout? All over the place. It’s a cycle of frustration that slows down projects and burns everyone out.

By keeping specs, tests, and docs together in a simple, code-based workflow, Voiden cuts the noise and lets teams focus on what they do best: writing code and shipping features.

Next step? Take five minutes to try Voiden with one API. You’ll get to feel firsthand how it keeps your APIs aligned and cuts through the noise of traditional tooling. Download here and rethink how APIs should be built.