The ability for web services to adapt to changes is crucial for maintaining seamless integration and operational efficiency throughout the many services that stitch together commerce, work and play across the vastness of the Internet.Illustrated with a fictional case study from the ecommerce sector, this talk introduces an approach to achieving such adaptability through the use of self-describing messages: a method where each message carries all the required data and metadata necessary for processing, without relying on any external data handling or centralized knowledge.Our case study involves an ecommerce storefront that relies on data from a third-party vendor with a highly volatile API. Despite the vendor’s frequent API changes, our approach using self-describing messages ensures that the storefront maintains uninterrupted service, safeguarding both sales and customer experience. This example not only underscores the robustness of self-describing messages in handling API volatility but also highlights their role in preventing business disruptions and reducing the need for frequent developer interventions and cross-functional meetings.The session will also discuss major advantages of systems that incorporate self-describing messages like improved scalability and easier updates and upgrades without centralized data handling. By the conclusion of this talk, attendees will appreciate the strategic value of implementing self-describing messages to enhance service adaptability and maintain business operations in the face of constant change.