Reporting Issues: How to Provide Effective Context
Before contacting our support team about a potential API issue, it's important to first confirm that the problem is specifically with our API rather than with your implementation or other systems. Once you've determined that our API is the source of the issue, providing proper context is essential for our support team to efficiently diagnose and address your concerns.
Our support team is dedicated to resolving issues with our API service, but we're not in a position to troubleshoot general implementation problems or issues with your application. Before submitting a support request, please:
Verify the issue is reproducible with direct API calls (using tools like Postman or cURL) outside of your application
Review our documentation to ensure your implementation follows our recommended practices
Once you've confirmed the issue is specifically with our API, please provide comprehensive details as outlined below.
API issues can originate from multiple sources:
API Service Issues: Problems with our servers, rate limiting, or service outages
Network Issues: Connectivity problems between your systems and our API
Implementation Issues: How your code interacts with our API, including improper error handling, inefficient request patterns, or missing parameters
Client-Side Issues: Browser limitations, frontend rendering bottlenecks, or client hardware constraints
Without detailed context, our support team must make assumptions that can lead to:
Wasted time investigating unrelated systems
Back-and-forth communications that delay resolution
Frustration on both sides when suggestions don't resolve the issue
Inability to identify patterns that might affect other users
"Our website is running very slow. Can you tell us what might be causing this?"
This report lacks specific details that would allow us to begin troubleshooting, such as:
Which API endpoints are affected
Request parameters being used
Response times and error messages
When the issue started occurring
Whether it happens consistently or intermittently
"Since Monday (March 2), we've been experiencing slow response times (>5 seconds) when calling the /listings endpoint with date ranges exceeding 30 days. Previously, these requests completed in under 1 second.
Here's an example request:
Headers: repliers-api-key: DFSDFAD325232432...
The response eventually returns with status 200, but takes 5-8 seconds to complete. Our application logs show no network timeouts, and other API endpoints are performing normally.
We've tested from multiple networks and devices with the same result. "
This report provides:
Specific endpoint experiencing issues
Exact request parameters
When the problem started
Expected vs. actual performance
Testing steps already taken
Supporting evidence (logs, screenshots, video captures)
For fastest resolution, please include:
Complete URL with all query parameters (remember to sanitize sensitive data)
HTTP method (GET, POST, etc.)
Request headers
Request body (for POST/PUT requests)
HTTP status code
Response time
Response headers
Response body (or description if too large)
Any error messages or codes
When did the issue start?
Is it consistent or intermittent?
Screenshots of errors
Code snippets showing your implementation
Performance logs or metrics
Network request timelines
Video captures
These tools can help you capture detailed request/response information:
Browser DevTools: Network tab provides detailed timing and request/response information
Postman: Create and test API requests independent of your application
cURL: Command-line requests that can be shared directly with support
API Monitoring Tools: New Relic, Datadog, or similar tools that track API performance
Screen Recording Tools: Loom, ScreenPal, ShareX
When you submit a support ticket with comprehensive context:
Our team can immediately begin investigating the specific issue
We can compare your experience with system-wide metrics
We can provide targeted recommendations for resolution
If needed, we can route your issue to specialized team members
Remember, detailed context helps us help you faster. Even if you believe the issue is on our end, providing implementation details eliminates variables and speeds up resolution time for everyone.
Verify It's an API Issue First
Our support team is dedicated to resolving issues with our API service, but we're not in a position to troubleshoot general implementation problems or issues with your application. Before submitting a support request, please:
Verify the issue is reproducible with direct API calls (using tools like Postman or cURL) outside of your application
Review our documentation to ensure your implementation follows our recommended practices
Once you've confirmed the issue is specifically with our API, please provide comprehensive details as outlined below.
Why We Need Proper Context
API issues can originate from multiple sources:
API Service Issues: Problems with our servers, rate limiting, or service outages
Network Issues: Connectivity problems between your systems and our API
Implementation Issues: How your code interacts with our API, including improper error handling, inefficient request patterns, or missing parameters
Client-Side Issues: Browser limitations, frontend rendering bottlenecks, or client hardware constraints
Without detailed context, our support team must make assumptions that can lead to:
Wasted time investigating unrelated systems
Back-and-forth communications that delay resolution
Frustration on both sides when suggestions don't resolve the issue
Inability to identify patterns that might affect other users
Insufficient vs. Sufficient Context Examples
❌ Insufficient Context
"Our website is running very slow. Can you tell us what might be causing this?"
This report lacks specific details that would allow us to begin troubleshooting, such as:
Which API endpoints are affected
Request parameters being used
Response times and error messages
When the issue started occurring
Whether it happens consistently or intermittently
✅ Sufficient Context
"Since Monday (March 2), we've been experiencing slow response times (>5 seconds) when calling the /listings endpoint with date ranges exceeding 30 days. Previously, these requests completed in under 1 second.
Here's an example request:
GET /listings?minListDate=2024-01-01Headers: repliers-api-key: DFSDFAD325232432...
The response eventually returns with status 200, but takes 5-8 seconds to complete. Our application logs show no network timeouts, and other API endpoints are performing normally.
We've tested from multiple networks and devices with the same result. "
This report provides:
Specific endpoint experiencing issues
Exact request parameters
When the problem started
Expected vs. actual performance
Testing steps already taken
Supporting evidence (logs, screenshots, video captures)
What to Include in Your Support Request
For fastest resolution, please include:
1. Request Details
Complete URL with all query parameters (remember to sanitize sensitive data)
HTTP method (GET, POST, etc.)
Request headers
Request body (for POST/PUT requests)
2. Response Information
HTTP status code
Response time
Response headers
Response body (or description if too large)
Any error messages or codes
3. Pattern Information
When did the issue start?
Is it consistent or intermittent?
4. Supporting Evidence
Screenshots of errors
Code snippets showing your implementation
Performance logs or metrics
Network request timelines
Video captures
Tools for Capturing API Context
These tools can help you capture detailed request/response information:
Browser DevTools: Network tab provides detailed timing and request/response information
Postman: Create and test API requests independent of your application
cURL: Command-line requests that can be shared directly with support
API Monitoring Tools: New Relic, Datadog, or similar tools that track API performance
Screen Recording Tools: Loom, ScreenPal, ShareX
Next Steps
When you submit a support ticket with comprehensive context:
Our team can immediately begin investigating the specific issue
We can compare your experience with system-wide metrics
We can provide targeted recommendations for resolution
If needed, we can route your issue to specialized team members
Remember, detailed context helps us help you faster. Even if you believe the issue is on our end, providing implementation details eliminates variables and speeds up resolution time for everyone.
Updated on: 04/03/2025
Thank you!