SoundCloud API Do:s and Don't:s

SoundCloud API Do:s and Don’t:s Eric Wahlforss CTO/SoundCloud FOWA London 2011

http://snd.sc/qHcYR0

soundcloud.com/eric

soundcloud.com/ericsoundcloud.com/forss

SoundCloud

SoundCloudLeading sound sharing platform on the web

SoundCloudLeading sound sharing platform on the webOver 7 million sound creators

SoundCloudLeading sound sharing platform on the webOver 7 million sound creatorsLike Flickr or Youtube for sound

SoundCloudLeading sound sharing platform on the webOver 7 million sound creatorsLike Flickr or Youtube for soundAll kinds of sounds

SoundCloudLeading sound sharing platform on the webOver 7 million sound creatorsLike Flickr or Youtube for soundAll kinds of soundsAn open platform

SoundCloudLeading sound sharing platform on the webOver 7 million sound creatorsLike Flickr or Youtube for soundAll kinds of soundsAn open platform1000s of apps, 1000s of developers and over 200published apps

What is an API?

What is an API?Application Programming Interface ≈ Platform

What is an API?Application Programming Interface ≈ PlatformComputers talking to each other

What is an API?Application Programming Interface ≈ PlatformComputers talking to each otherExchange and manipulation of data

What is an API?Application Programming Interface ≈ PlatformComputers talking to each otherExchange and manipulation of dataEssential part of the web’s success

What is an API?Application Programming Interface ≈ PlatformComputers talking to each otherExchange and manipulation of dataEssential part of the web’s successAdam Smith’s wet dream

Hyper division of labour... Adam Smith (1723-1790)

Hyper division of labour... ... and a network economy Adam Smith (1723-1790)

developers.soundcloud.com

Cakewalk SONAR X1 cakewalk.com/products/sonar

Thinglink thinglink.com

Onesheet onesheet.com

Radio Free stockholm.musichackday.org

Why API?Inspired by http://strange.corante.com/2006/02/08/fowa-ten-reasons-why-you-need-to-build-an-api-shaun-inman and http://www.readwriteweb.com/cloud/2010/08/the-new-api-movement-may.php

Why API? Allow people to use their own data...Inspired by http://strange.corante.com/2006/02/08/fowa-ten-reasons-why-you-need-to-build-an-api-shaun-inman and http://www.readwriteweb.com/cloud/2010/08/the-new-api-movement-may.php

Why API? Allow people to use their own data... ... empower people–everybody loves talking about stuff that empowers them ...Inspired by http://strange.corante.com/2006/02/08/fowa-ten-reasons-why-you-need-to-build-an-api-shaun-inman and http://www.readwriteweb.com/cloud/2010/08/the-new-api-movement-may.php

Why API? Allow people to use their own data... ... empower people–everybody loves talking about stuff that empowers them ... ... which spreads the word about your serviceInspired by http://strange.corante.com/2006/02/08/fowa-ten-reasons-why-you-need-to-build-an-api-shaun-inman and http://www.readwriteweb.com/cloud/2010/08/the-new-api-movement-may.php

Why API? Allow people to use their own data... ... empower people–everybody loves talking about stuff that empowers them ... ... which spreads the word about your service Developer community–the ultimate power usersInspired by http://strange.corante.com/2006/02/08/fowa-ten-reasons-why-you-need-to-build-an-api-shaun-inman and http://www.readwriteweb.com/cloud/2010/08/the-new-api-movement-may.php

Why API? Allow people to use their own data... ... empower people–everybody loves talking about stuff that empowers them ... ... which spreads the word about your service Developer community–the ultimate power users Extend your application–solve niche use casesInspired by http://strange.corante.com/2006/02/08/fowa-ten-reasons-why-you-need-to-build-an-api-shaun-inman and http://www.readwriteweb.com/cloud/2010/08/the-new-api-movement-may.php

Why API? Allow people to use their own data... ... empower people–everybody loves talking about stuff that empowers them ... ... which spreads the word about your service Developer community–the ultimate power users Extend your application–solve niche use cases Conceptual clarity–the essence of your serviceInspired by http://strange.corante.com/2006/02/08/fowa-ten-reasons-why-you-need-to-build-an-api-shaun-inman and http://www.readwriteweb.com/cloud/2010/08/the-new-api-movement-may.php

API Do:s and Don’t:s

Do KISS http://37signals.com/svn/posts/3018-api-design-for-humans

“Time to integration” Effortin days Plain vanilla API API Wrapper Great docs Sharekit Time 7 days 4 days 3 days 1 day

Do think about scalability @lenberg

Do watch your metrics

Do communicate MOST IMPORTANT STEP FOR BUILD PRODUCT IS BUILD PRODUCT. SECOND MOST IMPORTANT IS BUILD PERSONALITY FOR PRODUCT. http://www.avc.com/a_vc/2011/09/minimum-viable-personality.html

Do write kick-ass docs

Do talk about shiny newthings!

Don’t pay people

Do eat your own dogfood

Don’t change Inspired by http://www.readwriteweb.com/cloud/2010/08/the-new-api-movement-may.php

Do engage the communityhttp://mulqueeny.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/whats-the-point-of-a-hack-day/

Do BizDev 1.0->1.5->2.0http://cdixon.org/2010/08/28/good-bizdev-cannabilizies-itself/http://caterina.net/archive/000996.html

Do fail

Do failDo iterate

Do failDo iterateDo fail

Do failDo iterateDo failDo iterate

Do failDo iterateDo failDo iterateDo fail

Do failDo iterateDo failDo iterateDo failDo iterate

Thanks!eric@soundcloud.com twitter.com/ericw soundcloud.com/ericsoundcloud.com/forss

We’re hiring :)soundcloud.com/jobs

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SoundCloud API Do:s and Don't:s

by Eric Wahlforss

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