The document discusses secrets to creating a great API. It covers 4 main secrets: 1) Design for great user experience by getting feedback from developers during design. 2) Optimize the API for specific use cases and contexts rather than just exposing backend services. 3) Provide easy access to the API through a developer portal that allows discovery and interactive documentation. 4) Ensure the API is easy to use through simplicity, consistency and clarity in design. The goal is to encourage adoption by making the API attractive and simple for developers to start using.
APIs may have no intrinsic value, but they do bring enormous value to the business.
They do so through their backend data and the application functionality the interface enables.
The API allows systems with great organizational value to be reused.
What is the need of API Development solutions? Chetu
Technology requires evolution met by change and innovation. Expedited distribution, driven by quick turnovers and new ideas are the major reasons behind API development solutions.
APIs used to be a technical implementation detail reserved for developers and architects. In the Web age, APIs make more business sense than ever before. This presentation gives a ring side view of How to Craft Business Strategy around APIs.
API360 – A How-To Guide for Enterprise APIs - Learn how to position your ente...CA API Management
APIs are everywhere: powering mobile apps, enabling cloud computing, connecting people through social networks and helping to create the Internet of Things. Organizations of every kind are evaluating how they can leverage APIs and replicate the success of companies like Amazon, Google and Salesforce.
Join this webinar to learn about the #API360 model for enterprise API success. This model covers the full spectrum of considerations for companies looking to succeed with APIs for the long haul. You will also hear more about the upcoming #API360 Summit that will take place in Dallas on February 26.
You Will Learn
• How leading Web companies have used APIs to boost revenues and market share
• How to create an enterprise API strategy that will yield real business results
• How to institutionalize best practices that will allow your APIs to evolve and grow
APIs may have no intrinsic value, but they do bring enormous value to the business.
They do so through their backend data and the application functionality the interface enables.
The API allows systems with great organizational value to be reused.
What is the need of API Development solutions? Chetu
Technology requires evolution met by change and innovation. Expedited distribution, driven by quick turnovers and new ideas are the major reasons behind API development solutions.
APIs used to be a technical implementation detail reserved for developers and architects. In the Web age, APIs make more business sense than ever before. This presentation gives a ring side view of How to Craft Business Strategy around APIs.
API360 – A How-To Guide for Enterprise APIs - Learn how to position your ente...CA API Management
APIs are everywhere: powering mobile apps, enabling cloud computing, connecting people through social networks and helping to create the Internet of Things. Organizations of every kind are evaluating how they can leverage APIs and replicate the success of companies like Amazon, Google and Salesforce.
Join this webinar to learn about the #API360 model for enterprise API success. This model covers the full spectrum of considerations for companies looking to succeed with APIs for the long haul. You will also hear more about the upcoming #API360 Summit that will take place in Dallas on February 26.
You Will Learn
• How leading Web companies have used APIs to boost revenues and market share
• How to create an enterprise API strategy that will yield real business results
• How to institutionalize best practices that will allow your APIs to evolve and grow
6 Reasons Why APIs Are Reshaping Your BusinessFabernovel
A study on APIs to demonstrate the advantages of APIs for businesses in terms of scalability, flexibility, business development, product development, supply chain management...
Succeed with a Developer-Centric API Strategy - Ronnie Mitra, Principal API A...CA API Management
DX as the key to building a great API
Going beyond usability and simplicity in design
Considerations for the API lifecycle
Treating your API like a product
David Johnston, Managing Director, Decentralized Application Funds
Using the power of bitcoin for payments and flexible open source platforms we can reduce the friction in today's API infrastructure and finally connect the programable web to programable money.
Be My API How to Implement an API Strategy Everyone will Love CA API Management
Mike Amundsen,
Principal API Architect, Layer 7 Technologies
Mike is the author of Building Hypermedia APIs with HTML5 & Node and is a regular speaker at leading industry events on the subject of API design, Web application development and cloud computing.
Learn how to create and publish APIs that will help your business thrive and grow
February 7, 2013
9am PST | 12pm EST
Building great APIs is about more than just design; it requires detailed, thoughtful execution. Your API strategy needs to meet the business requirements of your organization but it must also be flexible enough to meet your developer community’s diverse needs. This webinar with Mike Amundsen, Layer 7's Principal API Architect, will examine the key foundational elements necessary for a solid API implementation strategy.
You Will Learn
Align API design with business goals
Architect flexible and robust APIs that are developer-accessible
Design for multiple client platforms (Web, mobile and cloud)
Implement USE methodology, versioning, reusability and hypermedia
Address issues around security, identity, social integration, reliability and scalability
Presented By
APIs for Biz Dev 2.0 - Which Business Model?3scale
APIs are [R]evolutionizing the Internet and the way companies distribute their data, content and services to the Web.
This presentation prepared for the MEITO "API, le Net+ ultra" workshop in France will walk you through some key elements of consideration when embracing the API [R]evolution.
KPIs for APIs (and how API Calls are the new Web Hits, and you may be measuri...John Musser
How do you measure API success? What KPIs do APIs need? What mistakes should I avoid? Find out what you should, and shouldn't, be measuring as part of your API program in this Business of APIs Conference NYC talk. Dive into a breadth of API metrics, the 6 keys to better API metrics, and the traps to beware of (the important do's and don'ts). Also real-world API case studies show who measures what.
Austin API Summit 2019 Lean and Business-oriented APIsMarjukka Niinioja
Slides from my talk at Austin API Summit 2019, describing why APIs need their own design and development process, and why it needs to be lean and business oriented.
At HMRC Digital, we have created an API platform for the digital world. We've started by creating a strong technical foundation, but have lessons for moving forward. These are some Golden Rules for developing APIs at HMRC Digital, that can be applied for all platforms
6 Reasons Why APIs Are Reshaping Your BusinessFabernovel
A study on APIs to demonstrate the advantages of APIs for businesses in terms of scalability, flexibility, business development, product development, supply chain management...
Succeed with a Developer-Centric API Strategy - Ronnie Mitra, Principal API A...CA API Management
DX as the key to building a great API
Going beyond usability and simplicity in design
Considerations for the API lifecycle
Treating your API like a product
David Johnston, Managing Director, Decentralized Application Funds
Using the power of bitcoin for payments and flexible open source platforms we can reduce the friction in today's API infrastructure and finally connect the programable web to programable money.
Be My API How to Implement an API Strategy Everyone will Love CA API Management
Mike Amundsen,
Principal API Architect, Layer 7 Technologies
Mike is the author of Building Hypermedia APIs with HTML5 & Node and is a regular speaker at leading industry events on the subject of API design, Web application development and cloud computing.
Learn how to create and publish APIs that will help your business thrive and grow
February 7, 2013
9am PST | 12pm EST
Building great APIs is about more than just design; it requires detailed, thoughtful execution. Your API strategy needs to meet the business requirements of your organization but it must also be flexible enough to meet your developer community’s diverse needs. This webinar with Mike Amundsen, Layer 7's Principal API Architect, will examine the key foundational elements necessary for a solid API implementation strategy.
You Will Learn
Align API design with business goals
Architect flexible and robust APIs that are developer-accessible
Design for multiple client platforms (Web, mobile and cloud)
Implement USE methodology, versioning, reusability and hypermedia
Address issues around security, identity, social integration, reliability and scalability
Presented By
APIs for Biz Dev 2.0 - Which Business Model?3scale
APIs are [R]evolutionizing the Internet and the way companies distribute their data, content and services to the Web.
This presentation prepared for the MEITO "API, le Net+ ultra" workshop in France will walk you through some key elements of consideration when embracing the API [R]evolution.
KPIs for APIs (and how API Calls are the new Web Hits, and you may be measuri...John Musser
How do you measure API success? What KPIs do APIs need? What mistakes should I avoid? Find out what you should, and shouldn't, be measuring as part of your API program in this Business of APIs Conference NYC talk. Dive into a breadth of API metrics, the 6 keys to better API metrics, and the traps to beware of (the important do's and don'ts). Also real-world API case studies show who measures what.
Austin API Summit 2019 Lean and Business-oriented APIsMarjukka Niinioja
Slides from my talk at Austin API Summit 2019, describing why APIs need their own design and development process, and why it needs to be lean and business oriented.
At HMRC Digital, we have created an API platform for the digital world. We've started by creating a strong technical foundation, but have lessons for moving forward. These are some Golden Rules for developing APIs at HMRC Digital, that can be applied for all platforms
Resumen y reflexiones sobre el libro “La República” de Platón, el cual está dividido en una introducción y posteriormente en 10 partes, cada una con sus respetivas reflexiones y una tabla que nos facilitará su análisis y posteriores conclusiones.
Documenting the Mobile API Development Process 2023.pptxXDuce Corporation
The first step towards learning a mobile app development is choosing a major platform. Mobile app development is more in demand as it has specific standards for each platform.
Guide To API Development – Cost, Importance, Types, Tools, Terminology, and B...Techugo
Building an API is the foundation for any apps dealing with data or requiring communication between two goods or services. A collection of guidelines or standards known as an API allows the software to use the capabilities of another app. For example, when you choose “Connect with Facebook,” Candy Crush immediately gets your Facebook account information. It can access the Facebook server using API integration, saving you the trouble of manually entering your information.
API (Application Programming Interface) development has become an essential aspect of modern software development. It allows different applications to interact with each other, exchange data and provide services seamlessly. To develop a successful API, you need to follow some crucial steps like defining API requirements, choosing the right protocol, designing the API interface, and testing it thoroughly. Furthermore, you should consider the security aspects of API development, including authentication, authorization, and encryption. Finally, you should document your API comprehensively, providing clear instructions for developers to use and integrate it with their applications.
How to Develop APIs - Importance, Types, Tools, Terminology, and Best Practic...Techugo Inc
Wondering how to develop APIs? And want to perform API integration for your business? Then you must know everything about API development. Also, get top-notch API solutions from the best API app development company. So, contact us to build an API for your business application right now! Visit: https://www.techugo.com/blog/how-to-develop-apis-importance-types-tools-terminology-and-best-practices/
Application programming interfaces (APIs) and API management through platforms have become key for enterprises looking to achieve high levels of digital innovation today.
Considering that API management has always helped accelerate the development process of enterprises, implementing API lifecycle management strategies becomes critical to maintaining the API lifeline of your business.
Whenever you're into the practice of choosing technology for your destined payment ecosystem, ensure to check these parameters like the payment type, whether the system you follow is regional or not, security infrastructure, and finally overview the performance of the system to ensure the right fit. Sometimes it is good to seek experts' With the help of the latest tools and innovative techniques, Opus has so far helped many businesses to free from their discomfort zone to create remarkable business standards in the market.
The API SlideShare for Bankers and Fintech ExecutivesMX
In this guidebook we’ll walk you through what you need to know about why APIs matter in today’s banking environment. First we’ll discuss the basics, then we’ll dive into details about what specific features you should look for when using a fintech provider’s API or when building your own.
Also download the official guidebook version of this presentation:
https://www.mx.com/api-guidebook
Securely expose protected resources as ap is with app42 api gatewayZuaib
App42 API Gateway is a comprehensive & battle-tested API Management solution that enables companies of all sizes and even individuals to launch APIs in minutes.
apidays Helsinki & North 2023 - How can data-driven DevRel help identify gaps...apidays
apidays Helsinki & North 2023
API Ecosystems - Connecting Physical and Digital
June 5 & 6, 2023
How can data-driven DevRel help identify gaps and enhance APIs?
Hemchander Sundaraveloo, Sr. Developer Advocate at Pipedrive
------
Check out our conferences at https://www.apidays.global/
Do you want to sponsor or talk at one of our conferences?
https://apidays.typeform.com/to/ILJeAaV8
Learn more on APIscene, the global media made by the community for the community:
https://www.apiscene.io
Explore the API ecosystem with the API Landscape:
https://apilandscape.apiscene.io/
The slideshow gives an introduction and overview of APIs and its growth, importance in the cloud and mobile era of computing. It also briefs about various business models and the API management services / platforms available.
Connector Corner: Automate dynamic content and events by pushing a buttonDianaGray10
Here is something new! In our next Connector Corner webinar, we will demonstrate how you can use a single workflow to:
Create a campaign using Mailchimp with merge tags/fields
Send an interactive Slack channel message (using buttons)
Have the message received by managers and peers along with a test email for review
But there’s more:
In a second workflow supporting the same use case, you’ll see:
Your campaign sent to target colleagues for approval
If the “Approve” button is clicked, a Jira/Zendesk ticket is created for the marketing design team
But—if the “Reject” button is pushed, colleagues will be alerted via Slack message
Join us to learn more about this new, human-in-the-loop capability, brought to you by Integration Service connectors.
And...
Speakers:
Akshay Agnihotri, Product Manager
Charlie Greenberg, Host
UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series, part 4DianaGray10
Welcome to UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series part 4. In this session, we will cover Test Manager overview along with SAP heatmap.
The UiPath Test Manager overview with SAP heatmap webinar offers a concise yet comprehensive exploration of the role of a Test Manager within SAP environments, coupled with the utilization of heatmaps for effective testing strategies.
Participants will gain insights into the responsibilities, challenges, and best practices associated with test management in SAP projects. Additionally, the webinar delves into the significance of heatmaps as a visual aid for identifying testing priorities, areas of risk, and resource allocation within SAP landscapes. Through this session, attendees can expect to enhance their understanding of test management principles while learning practical approaches to optimize testing processes in SAP environments using heatmap visualization techniques
What will you get from this session?
1. Insights into SAP testing best practices
2. Heatmap utilization for testing
3. Optimization of testing processes
4. Demo
Topics covered:
Execution from the test manager
Orchestrator execution result
Defect reporting
SAP heatmap example with demo
Speaker:
Deepak Rai, Automation Practice Lead, Boundaryless Group and UiPath MVP
UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series, part 3DianaGray10
Welcome to UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series part 3. In this session, we will cover desktop automation along with UI automation.
Topics covered:
UI automation Introduction,
UI automation Sample
Desktop automation flow
Pradeep Chinnala, Senior Consultant Automation Developer @WonderBotz and UiPath MVP
Deepak Rai, Automation Practice Lead, Boundaryless Group and UiPath MVP
Let's dive deeper into the world of ODC! Ricardo Alves (OutSystems) will join us to tell all about the new Data Fabric. After that, Sezen de Bruijn (OutSystems) will get into the details on how to best design a sturdy architecture within ODC.
Essentials of Automations: Optimizing FME Workflows with ParametersSafe Software
Are you looking to streamline your workflows and boost your projects’ efficiency? Do you find yourself searching for ways to add flexibility and control over your FME workflows? If so, you’re in the right place.
Join us for an insightful dive into the world of FME parameters, a critical element in optimizing workflow efficiency. This webinar marks the beginning of our three-part “Essentials of Automation” series. This first webinar is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to utilize parameters effectively: enhancing the flexibility, maintainability, and user control of your FME projects.
Here’s what you’ll gain:
- Essentials of FME Parameters: Understand the pivotal role of parameters, including Reader/Writer, Transformer, User, and FME Flow categories. Discover how they are the key to unlocking automation and optimization within your workflows.
- Practical Applications in FME Form: Delve into key user parameter types including choice, connections, and file URLs. Allow users to control how a workflow runs, making your workflows more reusable. Learn to import values and deliver the best user experience for your workflows while enhancing accuracy.
- Optimization Strategies in FME Flow: Explore the creation and strategic deployment of parameters in FME Flow, including the use of deployment and geometry parameters, to maximize workflow efficiency.
- Pro Tips for Success: Gain insights on parameterizing connections and leveraging new features like Conditional Visibility for clarity and simplicity.
We’ll wrap up with a glimpse into future webinars, followed by a Q&A session to address your specific questions surrounding this topic.
Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your FME expertise and drive your projects to new heights of efficiency.
Search and Society: Reimagining Information Access for Radical FuturesBhaskar Mitra
The field of Information retrieval (IR) is currently undergoing a transformative shift, at least partly due to the emerging applications of generative AI to information access. In this talk, we will deliberate on the sociotechnical implications of generative AI for information access. We will argue that there is both a critical necessity and an exciting opportunity for the IR community to re-center our research agendas on societal needs while dismantling the artificial separation between the work on fairness, accountability, transparency, and ethics in IR and the rest of IR research. Instead of adopting a reactionary strategy of trying to mitigate potential social harms from emerging technologies, the community should aim to proactively set the research agenda for the kinds of systems we should build inspired by diverse explicitly stated sociotechnical imaginaries. The sociotechnical imaginaries that underpin the design and development of information access technologies needs to be explicitly articulated, and we need to develop theories of change in context of these diverse perspectives. Our guiding future imaginaries must be informed by other academic fields, such as democratic theory and critical theory, and should be co-developed with social science scholars, legal scholars, civil rights and social justice activists, and artists, among others.
"Impact of front-end architecture on development cost", Viktor TurskyiFwdays
I have heard many times that architecture is not important for the front-end. Also, many times I have seen how developers implement features on the front-end just following the standard rules for a framework and think that this is enough to successfully launch the project, and then the project fails. How to prevent this and what approach to choose? I have launched dozens of complex projects and during the talk we will analyze which approaches have worked for me and which have not.
Epistemic Interaction - tuning interfaces to provide information for AI supportAlan Dix
Paper presented at SYNERGY workshop at AVI 2024, Genoa, Italy. 3rd June 2024
https://alandix.com/academic/papers/synergy2024-epistemic/
As machine learning integrates deeper into human-computer interactions, the concept of epistemic interaction emerges, aiming to refine these interactions to enhance system adaptability. This approach encourages minor, intentional adjustments in user behaviour to enrich the data available for system learning. This paper introduces epistemic interaction within the context of human-system communication, illustrating how deliberate interaction design can improve system understanding and adaptation. Through concrete examples, we demonstrate the potential of epistemic interaction to significantly advance human-computer interaction by leveraging intuitive human communication strategies to inform system design and functionality, offering a novel pathway for enriching user-system engagements.
State of ICS and IoT Cyber Threat Landscape Report 2024 previewPrayukth K V
The IoT and OT threat landscape report has been prepared by the Threat Research Team at Sectrio using data from Sectrio, cyber threat intelligence farming facilities spread across over 85 cities around the world. In addition, Sectrio also runs AI-based advanced threat and payload engagement facilities that serve as sinks to attract and engage sophisticated threat actors, and newer malware including new variants and latent threats that are at an earlier stage of development.
The latest edition of the OT/ICS and IoT security Threat Landscape Report 2024 also covers:
State of global ICS asset and network exposure
Sectoral targets and attacks as well as the cost of ransom
Global APT activity, AI usage, actor and tactic profiles, and implications
Rise in volumes of AI-powered cyberattacks
Major cyber events in 2024
Malware and malicious payload trends
Cyberattack types and targets
Vulnerability exploit attempts on CVEs
Attacks on counties – USA
Expansion of bot farms – how, where, and why
In-depth analysis of the cyber threat landscape across North America, South America, Europe, APAC, and the Middle East
Why are attacks on smart factories rising?
Cyber risk predictions
Axis of attacks – Europe
Systemic attacks in the Middle East
Download the full report from here:
https://sectrio.com/resources/ot-threat-landscape-reports/sectrio-releases-ot-ics-and-iot-security-threat-landscape-report-2024/
GraphRAG is All You need? LLM & Knowledge GraphGuy Korland
Guy Korland, CEO and Co-founder of FalkorDB, will review two articles on the integration of language models with knowledge graphs.
1. Unifying Large Language Models and Knowledge Graphs: A Roadmap.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2306.08302
2. Microsoft Research's GraphRAG paper and a review paper on various uses of knowledge graphs:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/graphrag-unlocking-llm-discovery-on-narrative-private-data/
Builder.ai Founder Sachin Dev Duggal's Strategic Approach to Create an Innova...Ramesh Iyer
In today's fast-changing business world, Companies that adapt and embrace new ideas often need help to keep up with the competition. However, fostering a culture of innovation takes much work. It takes vision, leadership and willingness to take risks in the right proportion. Sachin Dev Duggal, co-founder of Builder.ai, has perfected the art of this balance, creating a company culture where creativity and growth are nurtured at each stage.
Kubernetes & AI - Beauty and the Beast !?! @KCD Istanbul 2024Tobias Schneck
As AI technology is pushing into IT I was wondering myself, as an “infrastructure container kubernetes guy”, how get this fancy AI technology get managed from an infrastructure operational view? Is it possible to apply our lovely cloud native principals as well? What benefit’s both technologies could bring to each other?
Let me take this questions and provide you a short journey through existing deployment models and use cases for AI software. On practical examples, we discuss what cloud/on-premise strategy we may need for applying it to our own infrastructure to get it to work from an enterprise perspective. I want to give an overview about infrastructure requirements and technologies, what could be beneficial or limiting your AI use cases in an enterprise environment. An interactive Demo will give you some insides, what approaches I got already working for real.
PHP Frameworks: I want to break free (IPC Berlin 2024)Ralf Eggert
In this presentation, we examine the challenges and limitations of relying too heavily on PHP frameworks in web development. We discuss the history of PHP and its frameworks to understand how this dependence has evolved. The focus will be on providing concrete tips and strategies to reduce reliance on these frameworks, based on real-world examples and practical considerations. The goal is to equip developers with the skills and knowledge to create more flexible and future-proof web applications. We'll explore the importance of maintaining autonomy in a rapidly changing tech landscape and how to make informed decisions in PHP development.
This talk is aimed at encouraging a more independent approach to using PHP frameworks, moving towards a more flexible and future-proof approach to PHP development.
PHP Frameworks: I want to break free (IPC Berlin 2024)
SlideShare Test-1
1. Secrets of a Great API
WHITEPAPER
Core principles for delivering successful APIs
2. 1
Secrets of a Great API
APIs are not new. They’ve served as interfaces that enable
applications to communicate with each other for decades. But
the role of APIs has changed dramatically in the last few years.
Innovative companies have discovered that APIs can be used as an
interface to the business, allowing them to monetize digital assets,
extend their value proposition with partner-delivered capabilities,
and connect to customers across channels and devices.
When you create an API, you are allowing others within or outside
of your organization to make use of your service or product
to create new applications, attract customers, or expand their
business. Internal APIs enhance the productivity of development
teams by maximizing reusability and enforcing consistency in
new applications. Public APIs can add value to your business by
allowing 3rd party developers to enhance your services or bring
their customers to you. As developers find new applications for your
services and data, a network effect occurs, delivering significant
bottom-line business impact. For example, Expedia opened up their
travel booking services to partners through an API to launch the
Expedia Affiliate Network, building a new revenue stream that now
contributes $2B in annual revenue. Salesforce released APIs to
enable partners to extend the capabilities of their platform and now
generates half of their annual revenue through those APIs.
The pitfalls of a mediocre API
Organizations often decide to build an API without fully considering
key success factors or without first engaging their stakeholders.
In either case, the risk is that the API does not fit the needs of its
users. And APIs that don’t fit the needs of users have a high cost:
limited adoption by developers and ultimately, a failure to meet
business objectives. Once the API is designed and built, undoing
these mistakes is difficult and time-consuming. In most cases,
you must start over again, redesigning a new API, implementing
it by connecting to backend services, then rolling it out again to
the developer community. Worst of all, you will have to transition
all existing users to the new API. This will require additional work
which they may not have the time or willingness to do. At that point,
you’ll be faced with a tough choice - continue to support the original
API and its users until they eventually (hopefully) migrate, or shut it
off and potentially alienate and lose those users.
Another common pitfall of API programs is allowing the design of
your API to be dictated by the constraints of internal systems or
processes. This is never a good idea, but is particularly perilous
when the backend functionality lives in legacy systems whose
data schemas are overly complex or whose business logic has
been extended over the years using hard-coded workarounds
and convoluted logic. Exposing this kind of dirty laundry to your
API consumers is a recipe for failure. APIs modeled after internal
systems are difficult to understand and use and developers simply
won’t invest the time it takes to become productive with them.
What you need is an API that is simple to understand and easy to
use. Developers should be able to assess the functionality of your
API and start using it in just a few minutes. The only way to deliver
that kind of ease of use is to design for it upfront.
The Value of a Great API
A successful API is more than a feature; when you view your API
as a product, it can be an enabler of your business strategy. Part of
the magic of APIs is that creative developers find uses that the API
designers never envisioned. If the API is well designed and easy to
use, this can be an enormous benefit and opportunity, turning your
service into a platform that can grow in many ways.
A great API encourages developers to use it and share it with
others, creating a virtuous cycle where each additional successful
implementation leads to more engagement and more contributions
from developers who add value to your service. A great API can help
you grow an ecosystem of employees, customers, partners who
can use and help you continue to evolve your API in ways that are
mutually beneficial.
But the promise of APIs can only be realized when target consumers
begin to use them. For internal developers, APIs introduce a new
way of working and one that will require some buy-in. In addition,
internal developers won’t use your API if they don’t believe it’s
the best, most efficient way to achieve their goals. Well designed
APIs that are easy to use will encourage adoption by internal
developers, paving the way to a better-defined, more consistent
and maintainable approach to development. For public APIs, the
situation is even more competitive. An ever-increasing pool of APIs
is competing for developer’s attention, making the design and ease
of use of your API critical to its adoption and ultimately, its success.
Unfortunately, too many API providers build their APIs before
thinking through the critical success factors, resulting in APIs that
fail to meet business objectives. Delivering a great API isn’t hard if
you follow a few proven principles. In this paper we’ll demystify API
strategy by reviewing the 4 secrets of a great API.
Secret #1: Design for great user experience
To deliver great APIs, design must be a first-order concern. Much like
optimizing for UX (User Experience) has become a primary concern
in UI development, optimizing for APX (API User Experience)
should be a primary concern in API development. An optimal API
design enables applications developers to easily understand the
purpose and functionality of the API so that they can quickly become
productive using it. It also allows organizations to focus on getting
API design right before investing in back-end implementation, which
is time consuming and expensive to undo if design issues aren’t
identified until after implementation.
The best way to design an API that developers want to use is to
iteratively define the structure of the API in an expressive manner
Contact us : Share :
3. and get feedback from developers on its usability and functionality
along the way. The API Designer is an example of this concept in
action. The API Designer is an open source design environment
that leverages RAML, the RESTful API Modeling Language. The
API Designer provides an editor for drafting the APIs structure while
rendering in real time an interactive console to enable interaction
with the API. As the API is designed, application developers
can interact with it and test its behavior, thanks to an integrated
mocking service that returns the values a call to the live API would
produce. Because APIs designed in RAML are concise and easy
to understand, application developers can rapidly assess the APIs
functionality and usability and offer concrete feedback on ways to
improve it.
Secret #2: Optimize for use case
There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all API. Even for the
same underlying service or set of services, multiple APIs might be
required to support different types of users and use cases. An API
should be optimized to fulfill a specific business request in a specific
context. Too often APIs are modeled after the design of the backend
services or applications they expose instead of the use case they
fulfill. This results in poor performance of the client application, poor
user experience, and ultimately, poor adoption.
To optimize your API for a specific use case, think about how
coarse or fine-grained it should be. For example, if you’re designing
an API to enable access to sales order status from a mobile
device, you need to consider the constraints of that use case. A
mobile application has a higher sensitivity to number of network
trips, latency and data size than a web application so this API
should be designed to limit backend calls and minimize the size
of data returned. In addition, this use case is fairly granular – the
API will lookup an order based on order number and return a
status. Therefore, the API should expose this specific fine-grained
functionality so it can be invoked independently. If the underlying
service it accesses is coarse-grained and you anticipate building
additional APIs on that service to address additional use cases,
consider a tiered approach. Expose fine-grained services that
users can access directly, and add coarse-grained services on top
of them to support broader use cases. Users can choose to call the
fine-grained APIs directly or if they need the combined functionality of
multiple fine-grained calls they can use the coarse-grained APIs. This
API designed in API Designer is an example of an API optimized for
this case.
Secret #3: Provide easy access
Finding an audience for your API begins with publishing it to a
portal that allows developers to discover your API so they can begin
evaluating it for their use case. The developer portal should include
all of the tools developers need to learn about and begin using your
API. Developers reviewing your API will only invest a few minutes
before deciding whether or not to continue; having information
available in a clear and easy-to-consume format will encourage them
to stick around rather than go elsewhere. Developers will quickly
scan your documentation to get an overview of its functionality then
zero in on what it will take for them to get up and running on the API.
From there, they’ll quickly want to see some examples and ideally,
start interacting with the API. Developers are far more likely to use
an API that includes interactive documentation that allows them to
interact with the API over static pages that only allow them to read
about it.
The API Portal delivered in MuleSoft’s Anypoint Platform for APIs
is a good example of the value-added features that make it easy
for application developers to engage with and start using an API.
The API Portal includes interactive documentation that not only
describes the endpoint but also the fields required to call that API
and the data that is returned. In addition, you can add code samples
to give developers a head start in building the code to access your
API in the applications they build. Finally, the Console includes “try it”
functionality that allows developers to interact with and test the API.
During the design phase before the API has been implemented, a
mocking service allows developers to test the API’s behavior and see
the resulting body a call to that API would produce. Once the API is
implemented, developers can test the live API.
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