**Github Link: https://github.com/hogeun-iit/ITMD444**

• Root Directory: ./assignment3

Live API Site: https://itmd444-task.onrender.com/

Reflection:

This assignment was more useful than I expected. With AI tools getting better at writing code, having a clear API spec feels more important—not because AI is bad, but because if the contract is vague, the implementation can still end up wrong.

I built a task tracker API using OpenAPI 3.1 YAML. Writing the YAML before the server was annoying at first, but it made sense: the spec became the single place where routes, schemas, and errors were defined. When something broke, I could check Swagger or the YAML instead of guessing.

I still need to get more comfortable with OpenAPI in YAML (paths, operationIds, $ref, etc.). I understand the idea, but I want it to feel natural with less Googling.

Deploying on Render also taught me small lessons—like keeping servers aligned with the real URL, and not mixing up /docs with similar paths.

Overall, contract-first work feels slower at the start, but it saves time later because testing and documentation are basically already there. I’m glad I practiced this in class instead of only learning it later on the job.