Explainers: APIs
Temperature vs top_p: Which Sampling Control to Change
Temperature reshapes token probabilities; top_p cuts the cumulative tail. Change one control at a time.
Stripe PaymentIntent vs SetupIntent: Which Object to Use
Use PaymentIntent to charge now, SetupIntent to save for later, or setup_future_usage to do both.
Structured Outputs vs JSON Mode: What the Schema Changes
Choose Structured Outputs or JSON mode by whether valid JSON is enough or every field must follow a schema.
HTTP Content Negotiation: Accept, Content-Type and Vary
Use Accept, Content-Type and Vary correctly so APIs select representations without breaking shared caches.
Stripe Webhook Signature Verification: Check the Raw Request
Verify Stripe webhooks with the raw body, signature header, endpoint secret, timestamp checks and duplicate controls.
Cursor vs Offset Pagination: What Changes Under Inserts
Compare cursor and offset pagination when records move, repeat or change during a long API traversal.
ETag vs Last-Modified: Choosing an HTTP Validator
Choose the right HTTP validator for caching, conditional requests and safe concurrent updates.
Idempotency Keys: Safe API Retries Without Duplicates
Reuse one operation key for retries, but reconcile uncertain outcomes before changing the request.
Webhooks vs Polling: Which Integration Fails Better?
Webhooks push events. Polling asks on a schedule. Compare latency, retries, rate limits and hybrid recovery.