| name | probe-api-endpoints-before-use |
| description | Use when making HTTP requests to an API or service. Always verify the endpoint exists by checking documentation or probing the base URL first. |
| category | automation |
Probe API Endpoints Before Calling
- Before making API calls, check if documentation exists in the project (README.md, API docs)
- Probe the base URL first with
curl <base-url> to see available routes
- If getting "Not Found", stop and investigate:
- Check if the server is actually running
- List available routes/endpoints
- Verify the correct URL path and HTTP method
- Common endpoints to probe:
/, /docs, /api, /health
Anti-pattern: Making POST requests to /api/temi/move without verifying the endpoint exists results in 404 Not Found errors.