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Jun Liang
Jun Liang

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The Ongoing Struggle of Maintaining Sample Apps for APIs and SDKs

Sample applications are an essential part of the API and SDK ecosystem, but maintaining them can be one of the most grueling challenges developers face. 🛠️

APIs and SDKs evolve rapidly, often introducing new updates or deprecating features at a pace that’s hard to keep up with. This constant change means sample apps can quickly become outdated, requiring developers to revisit and update their code regularly. 🔄 The effort involved is relentless and time-consuming, pulling developers away from other pressing tasks. ⏳

Even with the best intentions, it’s no surprise that many sample guides come with apps that no longer work. ❌ Broken examples and outdated functionality lead to poor developer experiences—defeating the very purpose of these sample apps. 😕

For small teams or solo developers, this ongoing maintenance can feel particularly overwhelming. 🧑‍💻👩‍💻 How can we lighten this load and create sustainable solutions that don’t burn out developers? 💡

What has your experience been with maintaining sample apps? Have you discovered any tools or workflows that have made this process easier? Let’s share ideas and insights! 💬

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