Documenting API Workflows

The Warp API lets you hop through time, but without a solid guide, even the sharpest time traveler can get lost in 1889—or worse, unravel the timeline. Traditional API docs, like a raw OpenAPI file, list endpoints like timeTravel and setAnchor, but they don’t tell you how to use them together. That’s where Arazzo shines. It turns Warp’s complex flows into clear, step-by-step documentation that’s both human-friendly and machine-readable. Let’s see how to document a time-travel workflow with Arazzo, using the Warp API to retrieve Tesla’s blueprint as our mission.

Why Arazzo beats traditional docs

OpenAPI specs are great for detailing what each endpoint does—parameters, responses, paths—but they leave the how up to you. For Warp, a newbie might see createTimeline and timeTravel and wonder: “Do I create first? What’s a temporal anchor?” Arazzo solves this by mapping the sequence, dependencies, and intent in one place. It’s like handing your team a time-travel manual instead of a parts list—faster onboarding, fewer paradoxes.

With Arazzo, you get:

• Clarity: Summaries and descriptions explain the big picture and each step.
• Context: Dependencies show what relies on what (e.g., travel needs a timeline).
• Automation: Tools can render it as interactive docs or test scripts.

How to Document with Arazzo

Good documentation starts with the fields you already know, tuned for readability:

• summary (workflow-level): A one-liner of the mission.
• description (workflow or step): Extra context for humans.
• steps: The sequence, with clear stepIds and tied to Warp operations.

Here’s a documented Warp workflow:

arazzo: "1.0.1"
info:
  title: "Tesla Blueprint Retrieval Guide"
  version: "1.0.0"
sourceDescriptions:
  - name: "warpApi"
    url: "https://api.warp.example.com/v1/openapi.yaml"
workflows:
  - workflowId: "retrieveTeslaBlueprint"
    summary: "Travel to 1889 to retrieve Tesla’s lost blueprint and return safely"
    description: |-
      This workflow guides you through setting a temporal anchor in the present, creating a timeline to March 10, 1889, traveling back to retrieve Nikola Tesla’s lost blueprint, and returning home. Follow these steps to avoid paradoxes and cosmic vaporization.
    steps:
      - stepId: "setHomeAnchor"
        operationId: "warpApi.setAnchor"
        description: "Set an anchor in 2025 to return to after the mission."
        parameters:
          body:
            timestamp: "2025-02-19T12:00:00Z"
            description: "Mission start point - 2025 base"
        outputs:
          anchorId: "$response.body.id"
      - stepId: "create1889Timeline"
        operationId: "warpApi.createTimeline"
        description: "Create a timeline targeting March 10, 1889, before the fire destroys Tesla’s lab."
        parameters:
          body:
            name: "Tesla Mission 1889"
            destination_time: "1889-03-10T23:50:00Z"
        outputs:
          timelineId: "$response.body.id"
      - stepId: "jumpTo1889"
        operationId: "warpApi.timeTravel"
        description: "Travel to 1889 using the created timeline."
        dependsOn: "create1889Timeline"
        parameters:
          body:
            destination: "$steps.create1889Timeline.outputs.timelineId"
      - stepId: "registerBlueprint"
        operationId: "warpApi.registerItem"
        description: "Register Tesla’s blueprint as an item for transport back to 2025."
        parameters:
          body:
            description: "Tesla’s lost blueprint - oscillating current design"
        outputs:
          itemId: "$response.body.id"
      - stepId: "returnTo2025"
        operationId: "warpApi.timeTravel"
        description: "Return to the 2025 anchor, bringing the blueprint."
        dependsOn: "setHomeAnchor"
        parameters:
          body:
            destination: "$steps.setHomeAnchor.outputs.anchorId"
            items_transported:
              - "$steps.registerBlueprint.outputs.itemId"

Breaking It Down

1. Workflow Summary: “Travel to 1889 to retrieve Tesla’s lost blueprint and return safely” sets the mission.
2. Description: The multiline intro explains the goal and stakes—perfect for onboarding.
3. Steps: Each has a description that’s concise yet vivid (for example, “before the fire destroys Tesla’s lab” adds urgency).
4. Flow: dependsOn and runtime expressions ($steps.create1889Timeline.outputs.timelineId) show the order and data handoff.

This isn’t just a script—it’s a story any time traveler can follow.

Rendering the Docs

Tools like Redocly can turn this into a polished UI, with a sidebar of steps and details on hover. Humans read the summaries and descriptions; machines parse the operationIds and parameters. It’s the best of both worlds.

Tips for Killer Documentation

• Be Descriptive, Not Wordy: “Set an anchor in 2025” beats “Execute the anchor-setting process.”
• Use Context: Mention why a step matters (e.g., “avoid cosmic vaporization” nods to Warp’s 400 error).
• Name Smartly: jumpTo1889 is clearer than step3.
• Test Readability: Share it with a teammate—can they jump to 1889 without calling you?
• Keep Outputs Clear: Document what anchorId or itemId means for the next user.

Why It Matters

For Warp’s team, this workflow cuts through the noise. A new time traveler doesn’t need to guess how setAnchor ties to timeTravel—it’s all here, sequenced and explained. It’s faster onboarding, fewer support tickets, and a happier crew. Plus, it’s machine-readable—tools can generate a “Travel to 1889” button or a test suite from the same file. With Arazzo, you’re not just documenting Warp’s API—you’re scripting a successful mission through time. Next, let’s test this workflow to make sure Tesla’s blueprint makes it back intact!