We are excited to announce the release of the Preview stability level for the MongoDB Atlas Admin public APIs. Developers can now get early access to upcoming Atlas features, experiment with them before general availability, and help share their evolution through feedback.

In addition to previewing API features that are available to everyone via the MongoDB Admin documentation page, we have also added support for private preview, in which selected customers have been invited to test new features via the APIs before they’re released to the public.

You can find more information about the full API Lifecycle at Versioned Atlas Administration API Lifecycle.

Why we built it

Until now, all public APIs have been released as stable. This meant we could not make any changes that would break existing API versions. If user feedback required changes that were not backward compatible, we needed to create an entirely new API version, deprecate the old one, and request that customers migrate. Over time, this led to more convoluted designs, making the APIs harder to understand and use, and limiting our ability to respond to evolving user and market needs.

The introduction of the preview stability level will allow us to collect valuable feedback while we can still make changes to the API design. This will help ensure that, when the API becomes stable, it meets all our customers’ needs.

How to use APIs in preview

In the coming weeks, you will notice a new preview API version in the dropdown menu on the MongoDB Admin documentation page.

When you select the preview version, you’ll be able to view and use all endpoints currently in preview. To call a preview endpoint, simply include the following accept header in your request: application/vnd.atlas.preview+json.

It is important to note that APIs in preview are not intended for use in production environments due to the potential for breaking changes.

For example, using Digest authentication:

Or using Service accounts (oauth2):

We’re also excited to announce that Atlas CLI now supports preview public APIs through the atlas api commands, offering full API coverage and faster updates. Starting with Atlas CLI v1.50.0, you can test preview APIs in Atlas CLI by adding the - - version preview flag to the api commands.

For example:

Once you have tried the preview API, you can submit your feedback at https://feedback.mongodb.com/ to help us create a better experience for all developers using MongoDB Atlas.

How to use private preview APIs

Private preview APIs are available exclusively to customers who have shown a strong interest in partnering with MongoDB to test specific new features before they reach general availability. These selected customers receive access to an OpenAPI specification for the private preview APIs, along with detailed instructions on how to use them via curl requests and the Atlas CLI.

One more thing...

We’ve recently added support for Atlas CLI, Go SDK, and curl examples for each endpoint in our MongoDB Atlas Administration API documentation. These code examples offer developers multiple integration options, enabling them to select the approach that best suits their workflow and technical stack. Whether you prefer command-line tools, programmatic SDK integration, or direct HTTP requests, you now have ready-to-use examples. We believe these examples will significantly reduce the learning curve and help developers get started with our Admin APIs more easily than before, enabling faster implementation and feedback loops.

You have the power to shape our APIs’ future

The introduction of the Preview stability level for MongoDB Atlas public APIs marks a significant enhancement to our development process and customer experience. This new approach enables us to release innovative features earlier in the development cycle, providing you with the opportunity to test and provide feedback before they reach general availability.

We’re excited to collaborate more closely with our customers during this preview phase, ensuring that new features not only meet your technical requirements but also align with your real-world use cases and business needs. Your early feedback will be invaluable in helping us refine these features, address any edge cases, and deliver the most robust and user-friendly APIs possible.

This preview program represents our commitment to building APIs that truly serve your needs while maintaining the high standards of reliability and performance you expect from MongoDB Atlas.