API-first is a strategy where APIs are designed with a focus on usability, product lifecycle, and use cases. It aims to make API development more intentional, efficient, and resilient. However, it lacks tactical support for developers. Endpoint-first development fills this gap by focusing on the fundamentals of each endpoint, applying design principles and code standards, building documentation into tools, and automating boilerplate code. This approach complements API-first strategies, providing a practical solution for developers to build high-quality APIs in logical increments and in a continuous process. By empowering developers with tools like Blackbird, which supports automated API design, instantly shareable API mocks, AI-powered clean API codegen, one-button code run, IDE-integrated breakpoint debugging, and dedicated deployments, endpoint-first development enables teams to deliver on API-first goals while reducing friction for developers.