When I work with APIs, one of the most annoying things is spending too much time tracking issues across multiple endpoints or figuring out where things went wrong in the documentation. It always feels like a game of trial and error.

What if you could save time by offloading tasks like debugging and documentation to an AI assistant so you can focus more on building your API? 

That's precisely what Alfred in Treblle 3.0 helps with.  It helps you quickly identify issues across multiple endpoints and keeps your documentation up-to-date, allowing you to spend more time on development and less time fixing problems.

In this blog post, I’ll walk you through Alfred, our new AI-powered assistant, and how it can make your API management process smoother.

What is Alfred?

Alfred is an intelligent AI assistant who understands your API documentation and uses that knowledge to provide real-time answers and recommendations. Alfred does not analyze or store your data. It only accesses your API documentation when answering questions, ensuring your data stays secure and private.

The goal? 

To help you focus more on your API design and logic while handling repetitive tasks like documentation. 

Having Alfred integrated directly into your platform keeps everything in one place, reducing the need to jump between tools. This helps you stay focused and move faster with your API workflow.

How Can You Use Alfred?

Alfred is here to make your API workflow easier in several ways:

1. Treblle Platform: You can use Alfred directly in the API docs section of Treblle. Alfred helps you analyze your API in real-time by identifying issues like slow endpoints, missing pieces in your integration, and gaps in your documentation.
2. Alfred as a Service: Add Alfred to your developer portal for more intelligent API workflows. With just a few lines of code, you can embed Alfred to automate tasks, accelerate API integrations, and enhance your team's developer experience.

 Check out this page on how to integrate Alfred into your developer portal.

To see Alfred in action, here's a quick demo where Vedran walks you through Alfred:

Use Alfred with Aspen: Aspen is our free API-testing app for macOS.

Aspen is designed to help you test REST APIs without requiring login. Aspen also works with Alfred to instantly generate integration code, OpenAPI specs, and data models for your API, saving you time and eliminating the need for manual code searches.

Get Started with Alfred in Treblle

1. Access Alfred in the API Docs Section

Head to the API docs section in your Treblle workspace to begin using Alfred.

2. Meet Alfred!

You'll spot Alfred waving at you from the bottom right corner of your screen. He’s ready to assist you with whatever you need.

3. Ask Alfred Anything

Clicking on Alfred opens an interface with some basic prompts.

4. Alfred in Action

Here’s an example of how Alfred can help you with real-time information and suggestions based on your API docs.

Tip: Suppose your workspace owner has private APIs, and you've been granted access to API Docs of that private API via API Catalog. In that case, you can directly interact with Alfred to understand the API docs. It’s like having a senior developer explain the API to you in real time, breaking down complex details to make them easier to understand.

How Alfred helps with API development 

For Developers

When working on APIs, one of the biggest time sinks is figuring out where things are breaking. 

Alfred helps you identify issues quickly, whether it’s a slow endpoint or a missing piece in your integration. You can also ask Alfred for code examples to speed up the process, but reviewing the generated code is always a good idea to ensure it fits your specific needs.

Example prompt:

"Hey Alfred, can you help me with a code example to integrate this API in Node.js?"

For Product Teams

Good documentation is crucial when onboarding new team members or presenting your API to clients. Alfred assists by generating and improving documentation, ensuring it’s always clear, up-to-date, and easy to follow. 

Example prompt:

"Alfred, can you help me improve the GET /articles endpoint documentation? The current documentation must clearly explain the response structure and the query parameters we support, such as page and limit. I'd like to highlight the authentication requirements and ensure users' error responses are clear. Can you suggest improvements to make the documentation more user-friendly and comprehensive?"

Benefits of Using Alfred

Here's how Alfred helps you:

• Faster API Integrations: Rather than manually searching for code snippets or figuring out how to integrate APIs, Alfred gives you examples and helps generate models and tests.
• Preventive Recommendations: Alfred scans your OpenAPI Specification and identifies potential issues—like misconfigurations or missing details, before they become real problems. 
• Better Documentation: Alfred helps improve your API documentation by suggesting updates, so you don’t have to worry about keeping them accurate and detailed.

Conclusion

I’ve shared how Alfred in Treblle 3.0  can make working with APIs more manageable, from spotting issues to improving documentation and speeding up integrations. 

It’s all about giving you more time to focus on building great things.

You can also check out Treblle’s native and free web app API Insights for instant feedback from your OpenAPI specs or Aspen, a free macOS app that helps you test APIs and instantly generate models, specs, and integration code.