Dialog-style application programming interface for a machine learning solution

A computer program product for using an application programming interface (API) in a machine learning solution, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code stored on the computer readable storage medium, the computer readable program code being executed by a central processing unit (CPU) of a server computer system to cause the server computer system to perform a method comprising:
• the server computer system receiving from a client computer system a first call to an application programming interface (API) in a machine learning solution as a first request for which a set of data items is required;
• in response to the receiving the first call to the API, the server computer system determining that the first request includes none of the data items included in the set of data items required by the first request;
• in response to the determining that the first request includes none of the data items included in the set of data items required for the first request, the server computer system sending to the client computer system first metadata that describes the data items included in the set of data items required for the first request;
• the server computer system receiving from the client computer system a second call to the API as a second request that attempts to provide the set of data items required by the first request;
• in response to the receiving the second call to the API, the server computer system determining that the second request is missing a data item included in the set of data items required by the first request or includes a data item that is required by the first request but is invalid;
• in response to the determining that the second request is missing the data item included in the set of data items or includes the data item that is invalid, the server computer system sending to the client computer system a reply that includes a description of the data item that is missing in the second request or a description of a valid data item that is required by the first request and is a valid version of the data item that is invalid;
• the server computer system receiving from the client computer system a third call to the API as a third request that includes the data item that is missing in the second request or includes the valid data item;
• and
• in response to the receiving the third call to the API, the server computer system sending to the client computer system a second reply having values of data items in a response to the third request and second metadata that describes the data items in the response to the third request.

A server computer system comprising:

• a central processing unit (CPU);
• a memory coupled to the CPU;
• and
• one or more computer readable storage media coupled to the CPU, the one or more computer readable storage media collectively containing instructions that are executed by the CPU via the memory to implement a method of using an application programming interface (API) in a machine learning solution, the method comprising:
• the server computer system receiving from a client computer system a first call to an application programming interface (API) in a machine learning solution as a first request for which a set of data items is required;
• in response to the receiving the first call to the API, the server computer system determining that the first request includes none of the data items included in the set of data items required by the first request;
• in response to the determining that the first request includes none of the data items included in the set of data items required for the first request, the server computer system sending to the client computer system first metadata that describes the data items included in the set of data items required for the first request;
• the server computer system receiving from the client computer system a second call to the API as a second request that attempts to provide the set of data items required by the first request;
• in response to the receiving the second call to the API, the server computer system determining that the second request is missing a data item included in the set of data items required by the first request or includes a data item that is required by the first request but is invalid;
• in response to the determining that the second request is missing the data item included in the set of data items or includes the data item that is invalid, the server computer system sending to the client computer system a reply that includes a description of the data item that is missing in the second request or a description of a valid data item that is required by the first request and is a valid version of the data item that is invalid;
• the server computer system receiving from the client computer system a third call to the API as a third request that includes the data item that is missing in the second request or includes the valid data item;
• and
• in response to the receiving the third call to the API, the server computer system sending to the client computer system a second reply having values of data items in a response to the third request and second metadata that describes the data items in the response to the third request.