api-connector-builder

SKILL.md

API Connector Builder

Use this when the job is to add a repo-native integration surface, not just a generic HTTP client.

The point is to match the host repository's pattern:

connector layout

config schema

auth model

error handling

test style

registration/discovery wiring

When to Use

"Build a Jira connector for this project"

"Add a Slack provider following the existing pattern"

"Create a new integration for this API"

"Build a plugin that matches the repo's connector style"

Guardrails

do not invent a new integration architecture when the repo already has one

do not start from vendor docs alone; start from existing in-repo connectors first

do not stop at transport code if the repo expects registry wiring, tests, and docs

do not cargo-cult old connectors if the repo has a newer current pattern

Workflow

1. Learn the house style

Inspect at least 2 existing connectors/providers and map:

file layout

abstraction boundaries

config model

retry / pagination conventions

registry hooks

test fixtures and naming

2. Narrow the target integration

Define only the surface the repo actually needs:

auth flow

key entities

core read/write operations

pagination and rate limits

webhook or polling model

3. Build in repo-native layers

Typical slices:

config/schema

client/transport

mapping layer

connector/provider entrypoint

registration

tests

4. Validate against the source pattern

The new connector should look obvious in the codebase, not imported from a different ecosystem.

Reference Shapes

Provider-style

providers/
  existing_provider/
    __init__.py
    provider.py
    config.py

Connector-style

integrations/
  existing/
    client.py
    models.py
    connector.py

TypeScript plugin-style

src/integrations/
  existing/
    index.ts
    client.ts
    types.ts
    test.ts

Quality Checklist

 matches an existing in-repo integration pattern

 config validation exists

 auth and error handling are explicit

 pagination/retry behavior follows repo norms

 registry/discovery wiring is complete

 tests mirror the host repo's style

 docs/examples are updated if expected by the repo

Related Skills

backend-patterns

mcp-server-patterns

github-ops