API frequently changing?

[murdockind0]

Sorry if this isn't the right forum for this. We're trying to integrate a Magento 2.1 store with an inventory management application. They had a plugin that was available, but they took it down. When we asked when it might return, they told me the following:

"The Magento 2.0 plugin was pulled down because Magento has been changing their API (the connector portal) almost daily.  Until it stabilizes and they solidify their API, we cannot adjust our integration without having ongoing headaches with it.  As soon as it does though we will definitely get a working integration ready right away."

We can't find any other information about the stability of the Magento API. Are they being forthcoming with us? 

[alanstorm · Accepted solution]

They're being mostly forthcoming.  A more technically correct response might have been

The official API that Magento 2 promises to support, version to version, is limited and doesn't let us do 100% of what we need to do.  In other words, any useful Magento modules will require us to write code that relies on other Magento code that isn't covered under Magento's API. When Magento releases new software versions -- be they major (2.0 to 2.1) or minor (2.0.3 to 2.0.4) there's lots of little things that change, that would require us to release a new version of our extension.  This would require us to keep a Magento programmer on staff, or on retainer.  Magento 2 isn't yet as widely deployed as Magento 1.  Therefore, we can't financially justify the resources needed to keep an up to date Magento 2 extension running. Well, honestly, maybe we could justify it, but it's a lot easier to say it's too hard and just not do it. 

All this, of course, depends on the vendor and the individuals implementing the vendor's solution.  i.e. I'm speaking generally, and not to your specific problem.

Hope that helps!