Reaching 1 Million APIs and what to do when we get there

Reaching 1 Million APIs and what to do when we get there Steven Willmott http://www.3scale.net

6000 APIs on Programmable Web Today

Probably 4-5x that number out there 100% Annual Growth1million APIs by 2017?

Topics• Getting to 1 Million APIs• The “Millionth” API• Things we’ll need when we get there

Preliminaries

Took 6 years to go from 1 Web Site to 1 Million ~ approx May 1997

Big Step Changes in Web Growth Text >> CGI >> PHP >> Geocities & Co…

Today’s API World is “Artisan”Craft rather than a science (sidenote : check out theexcellent api-craft mailinglist / managed by Apigee)

Artisan is Good but…• Expensive• Doesn’t scale• Fragile• Every API is Different and works in unexpected / suprising ways

To Grow, theWeb Automated APIs are starting to do the same?

API “Mass Production” How to reach 1 Million APIs

Two Key Trends in API Automation1. Code Frameworks2. Hosted Platform Environments

1: Code Frameworks • APIs for Free • Or by DefaultJAX-RS • Much easier to write APIs • APIs are much more standard • Big Adoption Driver

2: Platforms• The Web is build on • API Platforms are platforms: emerging – Mobile backends – Infochimps – Factual – 3scale, Apigee, Mashery – … • And web platforms are going API

Impact of Mass Production

No doubt we have the capacity tocreate as many APIs are Web sites… Commercial pull is almost unbounded – B2B, Mobile, HTML5 are all major drivers

The Millionth API Micro View

What was Millionth Web Site? (Donald Rumsfeld might call it a known unkown)

Launched in May 1997• Belvidere, NJ• Barnes and Noble• Thousands More.. "Im very excited for it," Mayor Linda Stettler said. "Belvidere is moving in the right direction." http://www.belvidere-nj.us/

The Millionth API?Don’t know much about it yet but…

But we can guess some things• Niche• Probably in the United States• Probably in the “non-tech” economy• Probably powered by a platform• Probably launched by a small company or individual

Few Technical Changes are really needed… We’re way ahead of where the Web was

API Anatomy Meta Data: Publically Listed Code Libraries: Auto Generated Data Models: Standardized API Pattern: e.g. REST (++) Identity & Auth: e.g. oAuth Code: e.g. PHP App Framework: e.g. Drupal PAAS: Cloud Managed IAAS: Cloud Deployed

But most technical change willdriven by dealing with the sheer number of APIs

Dealing with Millions Macro View

Topics1. Discovery2. Selection3. Reuse4. Engagement5. Monitoring

#1: Discovery • Q: Where are all the service descriptions? • A: Not quite there yet…

Discovery API Google Discovery Format (Also see SWAGGER, WADL)

Discovery Who Provides It Functionality Offered Data Models Used Performance Parameters API SLAs and Guarantees Cost and Terms … Description must be locatable

Discovery • New Formats needed API • But also adoption and linking/indexing

#2: Selection • Amongst million APIs - how do you know which ones to API trust? API • On the Web: API – Domains API – SSL API – Brand Visuals – Google/Alex Rankings

Selection • In an API World many of these don’t work (e.g. no browser SSL root certs) API • Need: API API – 3rd party monitoring & ranking – Transparency by providers API – “Web of Trust” for APIs API • Identity of providers just as much an issue as that of users

#3: Reuse • Today: ? – Semantics are HTTP, REST Principles, MIME Data Types, Developer Intuition – Operational Semantics baked into client code • This is like writing a new browser for every website

(we’re getting pretty good at writing them – but hey, it’s still dumb!) Huge Barrier to Re-usability

Reuse – Two Big Trends ? 1. Better Specifications 2. Convergence

Reuse - Specifications • More Rigid Semantics ? • Data Ontologies • Interlinking Ontologies • HATEOS Principles for Spec exploration Principle: use derivation from primitives to write / generate code

Reuse - Convergence • Similar Interfaces and Logical Choices ? • Conventions • Already Happening • Platforms will be a huge driver Y • How to Foster Good Conventions? X Principle: stick to conventions to help people use your stuff

But… – what happens if you can copyright interfaces? Need: interface commons

#4: Engagement • Today: API – http://developer.xyz.com/ – Agree Terms – Get Credentials – Write App – Get Stuff Done • Frankly…

This is Nuts! (at scale)

#4: Engagement • Need to be able to: – Be able to discover the software you need automatically API – identify yourself and the provider – engage a service contract – generate credentials – begin using the service • All without human intervention of any sort

#4: Engagement Need a Focus on SimplifiedContract First OWL-S Contract Establishment ebXML • Identity is Critical • Standard Terms are WSMO Critical Design By Contract • APIs for Contracting • How to setup up APIBPML Open Grid Forum usage with code rather than web All Contain elements interactions Mostly Focus on Coordination

#5: Monitoring • Quality of Service Will be Key X API • Using any API introduces an API API outside dependency • More complex than Web API Monitoring X API • Like Distributed Integration Testing

Summary: Macro IssuesTransparency Description FormatsShared Infrastructure Description UsageIntegration Like Testing Description Referencing Monitoring Discovery Engageme Selection nt Indicators of Trust Indicators of Quality Identity Identity Reuse Common Terms Simple Protocols Specifications Convergence

Closing Thoughts

Todays APIs are very special –need unique, care and attention

But to get further we need toAutomate – and deal with scale

Conclusions• Platforms will begin to drive massive API growth• Much of the challenge is in meta- data, discovery and engagement• API Consumer will need just as much help as the API provider• Need a new discipline – “Machine Interface Design”

Final Thought • Today: we focus on making it easier for developers to use our APIs • Tomorrow: we’ll need to make it easier for machines to use our APIs

Thank you & Q/A steve@3scale.net @njyx, @3scalehttp://www.3scale.net/

Credits• Cover Image: appelogen.be / flickr of AI WeiWei’s sunflower exhibit at the Tate Modern, License CC.• Anatomical Heart: wikimedia / wikipedia• API-CRAFT Mailing list: https://groups.google.com/group/api-craft

Licenses• Original Content: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0• Included Images: – Licensed terms determined by originator

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