1. How frequently do you update your News API version?

Across internal documentation, we can confirm multiple version releases, each representing significant feature enhancements rather than routine incremental patches.

Documented versions include:

• News API v1 – December 2023 Fastmarkets taking the initiate and decided to upgrade the RSS feed-based technology into restful API 
• News API v3 – November/December 2024
• Release update in December 2024 – functionality expansion (filters, date ranges, pagination).

Drivers of updates include:

• Addition of new search filters (commodity, location, company)
• Improved usability (pagination, easier setup without dependency on Search API)
• Modernisation and restructuring of article metadata and reference data (v3 schema)
• Security standards updates (OAuth 2.0, JWT) included across all API guides

Conclusion:
Fastmarkets releases new versions when significant improvements are introduced, not on a fixed schedule. Across the documents available, 3 versions are visible, all delivered within ~2 years to the subscribers.

2. Are there regular maintenance tasks required for the connector (beyond version changes)?

There is no evidence of mandatory periodic maintenance for connectors beyond standard operational hygiene. However, several factors may require occasional updates:

Content & Metadata Handling

Performance & Stability

Nothing in the evidence indicates breaking changes that require ongoing maintenance, but connectors are expected to:

• Handle pagination introduced in v3 (Dec 2024)
• Support new filters and fields if the client wants to use new API features.

Authentication

All APIs rely on OAuth2 + JWT, any client’s choice of a news connector must be able to refresh tokens reliably.

3. Does Fastmarkets provide advance notice or a roadmap for upcoming changes?

Based on internal communications:

• Release updates (e.g., December 2024 launch) were announced internally shortly before release, with reminders not to communicate externally until sign‑off. 
• External communication tends to occur post‑release, supported by:
  • Updated user guides
  • Updated Help Hub pages (e.g., https://help.fastmarkets.com)
  • Announcements via Account Managers or Support Resources 

Conclusion:
Advance notice is not routinely published, but Fastmarkets provides updates when features are released and documentation is refreshed.

4. Are updates backward‑compatible, or do they require connector adjustments?

Available evidence suggests:
Updates appear backward‑compatible, with optional adoption of new filters, fields, and pagination. Connectors should continue working unless you wish to incorporate new features.

5. Do you have documentation on versioning & deprecation timelines?

Current available documentation includes:

• Swagger: Fastmarkets News API User Guide V1 { https://api.fastmarkets.com/news/v1/documentation/index.html}
   
• Fastmarkets News API User Guide V3 Search {https://help.fastmarkets.com/en_US/apis_sub/fastmarkets-news-api}

What are the News API Version cadence?
Fastmarkets releases new News API versions when major feature enhancements or structural improvements are ready rather than on a fixed schedule. Over the last few years, three key versions (v1, v2 implied, v3) have been released.

Drivers of updates:
New filtering capabilities, expanded metadata, de‑coupling from Search API dependencies, improved pagination, and security updates.

Maintenance expectations:
No mandatory ongoing maintenance is required, but connectors should handle pagination, evolving metadata, and token renewal. Optional updates may be needed to take advantage of new features.

Advance notice / roadmap:
Fastmarkets generally communicates changes around release time, not via a long-term roadmap.

Backward compatibility:
Yes — changes have historically been non‑breaking, and older connector implementations continue to function unless new features are desired.

Versioning / deprecation documentation:
User guides and Swagger documentation exist for each version, but no formal version‑deprecation timeline is published.