Publish a version of your API for consumers

When you're ready to share the latest changes to your API with consumers, you can publish a version. Publishing a version creates a static representation of your API's current state. Consumers can view the API version in your workspace. You can also choose to add the version to your Private API Network.

You can select the elements to publish with your API, such as the definition and collections, to help consumers test and evaluate your API. After you publish a version, you can keep working on your API and make more changes. Your consumers will continue to see the published version of your API until you publish a new version.

You can also publish an API version programmatically with the Postman CLI.

How are versions and releases different in Postman v10 and v11? In Postman v9, versions were major iterations of your API you could work on at the same time. Starting in Postman v10, published versions are static representations of your API that consumers can reference (like releases in Postman v9). If you need to work on more than one major iteration of your API in Postman v10 or v11, create separate APIs.

Publishing an API to consumers

Publish an API version to share the current state of your API with consumers. You can select the elements (definition and collections) to include with your published API.

If your API is connected to a Git repository, publishing a version syncs the selected elements (definition and collections) to your workspace in the Postman cloud.

You must have the Admin role for an API or the Workspace Admin role to publish an API.

To publish an API version, do the following:

1. Select APIs in the sidebar and select an API.

2. If you connected your API to a Git repository, make sure the branch you want to publish is the active branch. Select the branch menu from the Postman footer, then select the branch you want to make active.

   You must be in sync with the remote repository to publish an API version. Push or pull any changes as needed.

3. On the API's overview, under Publish your API to consumers, select Publish API. (If you've published a version before, select Publish under Published Versions.)

4. Enter a Version label and, if you want, add any Release notes describing this version.

5. Select the elements you want to publish with this version (API definition and collections). If your API definition has syntax errors, a notification under Definition will explain that your API definition file has errors. Postman recommends fixing the errors because your API documentation might not display as expected.

6. To make this version available on your team's Private API Network, select Add to API Network (or Request to Add, depending on your role). You can attach an environment to this API. Alternatively, you can select Add to API network to open the Add API to the Private API Network modal, where you can select the relevant environment from the dropdown. You can also select a folder to place the API version in, or create a new folder.

   You can only add APIs to your team's Private API Network from team or public workspaces. Your team must also have the API Builder add-on to view and add APIs to your Private API Network.

   

7. Select Publish API.

8. If you're publishing an API definition file with syntax errors, select Review Definition to review the API definition file and fix the errors, or select Publish API Anyway to publish the API definition file with errors.

If you aren't assigned the API Network Manager or Folder Manager role, you can request to add the published API to your Private API Network. Your team's API Network Manager or Folder Manager will review the request.

Editing and deleting an API version

You can edit and delete an API version using the more actions icon next to the published version. Editing an API version enables you to change the version label and release notes.

Viewing a published API version

Consumers can view the latest published version of your API in your workspace. If you added the version to your Private API Network, consumers can also view the version there. Consumers can view any elements published with the API, including the API's definition and collections.

To view an API version in a workspace, do the following:

1. Select APIs in the sidebar and select an API.
2. Under Published Versions, select a version.
3. To view another version, select it in the version dropdown list next to the API's name.

To return to the API Builder, select the version dropdown list next to the API's name, then select Switch to editor or Switch to branch.

To view an API version on your Private API Network, do the following:

1. Select API Network in the Postman header, then select View internal APIs.
2. Search or browse for an API, then select an API to view the available versions.

Learn more about viewing APIs on your Private API Network.