How do you scale and update your app's API integration as your app grows and changes?
If you're developing a web or mobile app, chances are you'll need to integrate with some external APIs to access data, services, or features. APIs are application programming interfaces that allow different software systems to communicate and exchange information. But how do you scale and update your app's API integration as your app grows and changes? In this article, we'll cover some best practices and tips to help you manage your API integration effectively and efficiently.
The first step is to choose the right APIs for your app's needs and goals. You want to select APIs that are reliable, secure, well-documented, and compatible with your app's technology stack. You also want to consider the cost, performance, availability, and maintenance of the APIs you use. Some APIs may have limits on the number of requests, the data size, or the response time. Some may charge fees or require authentication. Some may change or update frequently or without notice. You should research and compare different APIs before integrating them into your app, and review their terms of service and policies.
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The second sentence states, "... and compatible with your app's technology stack." This is flat-out incorrect. The whole point of APIs is to be interoperable across technology stacks.
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Also factor in how the provider will be supporting updates/changes over time. Will they be notifying consumers when new versions are available? Are they guaranteeing backwards compatibility? Will API documentation be kept up to date?
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The first step is to choose the right APIs for your app's needs and goals. You want to select APIs that are reliable, secure, well-documented, and compatible with your app's technology stack. You also want to consider the cost, performance, availability, and maintenance of the APIs you use. Some APIs may have limits on the number of requests, the data size, or the response time. Some may charge fees or require authentication. Some may change or update frequently or without notice. You should research and compare different APIs before integrating them into your app, and review their terms of service and policies.
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Whatever you do, don’t build your business over someone else’s API. It’s ok to integrate competitive services (think billing or login) but to build your product’s core features relying on a single source of data/feature that cannot easily be replaced is just crazy. Just remember all the Facebook apps that have gone under or all the Apple apps, whose features are now all built into iosX…
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Certainly, you should consider how difficult it will be to integrate to another API. You should consider how its built (REST, SOAP, GraphQL, etc.) and its limitations. All this is so you can forecast cost to build/support the integration and ideally compare across all of your integration opportunities. However, what you should consider most of all is what the integration means to your app's user. This is far more important than what it means for you. If you are building an integration for your app, what you are actually doing is helping a user solve a business problem or execute a business process across your and another software product. The customer's value for this should be weighed against what it costs you to build it.
The next step is to design your app's API layer, which is the part of your app that handles the communication and interaction with the external APIs. You want to design your API layer in a way that is modular, scalable, and adaptable. A modular design means that you can separate your app's logic from the API calls, and use different modules for different APIs. This makes it easier to add, remove, or update APIs without affecting the rest of your app. A scalable design means that you can handle increasing or fluctuating demand for your app's API integration, and optimize your app's performance and resource usage. A scalable design may involve using caching, load balancing, or asynchronous processing techniques. An adaptable design means that you can accommodate changes or updates in the external APIs, and handle errors or exceptions gracefully. An adaptable design may involve using versioning, testing, or fallback strategies.
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Designing an app's API layer is a detailed and critical process that starts with a deep understanding of user requirements and use cases. This understanding is key to selecting the most suitable architectural style for the API, with the API-led framework standing out for its robust approach to API design. Incorporating RESTful principles is central to this process, as it ensures that API endpoints are intuitively and logically designed with clear, understandable path names. Addressing scalability is crucial, and this is achieved through a stateless design supplemented by effective caching strategies, enhancing both performance and manageability.
The third step is to implement your app's API integration, which is the process of writing the code that makes the API calls and handles the responses. You want to implement your app's API integration in a way that is consistent, secure, and maintainable. A consistent implementation means that you follow the same standards and conventions for your app's API layer, and use appropriate tools and libraries to simplify and streamline your code. A secure implementation means that you protect your app's data and credentials from unauthorized access or manipulation, and use encryption, authentication, or authorization techniques. A maintainable implementation means that you document your code and API integration, and use comments, logs, or debuggers to monitor and troubleshoot your app's API layer.
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Implementing your app's API integration starts with a detailed analysis of requirements, ensuring the API aligns with your application's needs and use cases. Selecting the right API involves considering functionality, scalability, and documentation quality. Once chosen, understanding the API's documentation is crucial, including its request-response structure and authentication mechanisms. Setting up a development environment and ensuring secure authentication follow. The integration process includes developing and testing API calls, implementing robust error handling, and optimizing performance through caching. Continuous monitoring and logging are essential for maintaining performance and reliability.
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Ryan Lunka
Building the first AI-native approach to app & data integration, backed by Techstars.
(edited)It's important to remember that "API" does not equal "integration". APIs are the doorways for data in/out. Integrations are the data bridges between doorways. Whether custom coding (not usually recommended) or using a framework (let's talk) for the integration, the key is to operationalize the process. As an app provider you are almost certainly going to build more than one integration. Likely it will be dozens--possibly more. That means consistency in "code" is key, and that consistency is born of 1) a consistent design/develop/test process and 2) a framework that empowers consistency. Do not treat these as one-off or custom projects, because they very quickly transform into technical debt.
The fourth step is to monitor your app's API integration, which is the process of collecting and analyzing data and feedback about your app's API layer. You want to monitor your app's API integration in a way that is proactive, comprehensive, and actionable. A proactive monitoring means that you set up alerts and notifications for any issues or anomalies that may affect your app's API integration, and resolve them quickly and effectively. A comprehensive monitoring means that you measure and track various metrics and indicators related to your app's API layer, such as the number of requests, the response time, the error rate, or the user satisfaction. A actionable monitoring means that you use the data and feedback to improve and optimize your app's API integration, and make informed decisions and adjustments.
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Successfully monitoring and supporting your integrations is key to providing the integration as a high quality product feature. Remember, as an app provider, you almost certainly have many integrations, so consistency is the key. The approach you take for building these integrations should emit logs and event traces in a common structure. In layman's terms, the integrations should all speak the same language. While technically every integration is unique, you can make sure that the ONLY part that is unique is the part that implements specific business requirements. All the plumbing under the hood can work the same. This allows anyone on the team to help support the integration, as long as they understand the common "language".
The fifth step is to update your app's API integration, which is the process of making changes or modifications to your app's API layer. You want to update your app's API integration in a way that is timely, compatible, and seamless. A timely update means that you keep up with the latest developments and trends in the external APIs you use, and take advantage of new features or enhancements. A compatible update means that you ensure that your app's API layer works well with the current or updated versions of the external APIs, and avoid any conflicts or errors. A seamless update means that you minimize any disruption or inconvenience to your app's users or functionality, and test and deploy your changes smoothly and safely.
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Integrations are living, breathing features. They are not build-and-forget. APIs change. Data requirements evolve. You must have a best practice process for rolling out updates to these integrations. This starts with how you've built and deployed them in the first place. Acknowledge that 1) the integration will be used by many users, likely with slightly different configurations and 2) things that have nothing to do with those users will necessitate updates. Build your integrations with a proper DevOps mindset at the start so you can roll out such changes. (Many low-code iPaaS tools ignore this part.) Treat the integrations with as much care as you would any "internal" product feature, so that you can maintain quality and uptime.
The sixth and final step is to learn from your app's API integration, which is the process of reflecting and evaluating your app's API layer. You want to learn from your app's API integration in a way that is continuous, collaborative, and constructive. A continuous learning means that you always seek new knowledge and insights about your app's API integration, and stay curious and open-minded. A collaborative learning means that you share your experiences and challenges with other developers or stakeholders, and seek feedback and support. A constructive learning means that you celebrate your successes and acknowledge your failures, and use them as opportunities to grow and improve.
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The most important things to take away are: 1) APIs are not integrations. The two are adjacent to one another and impact one another, but they are not the same thing. 2) Treat integrations with the same care as you would an internal product feature. While there are some aspects of integration that differ from an internal product feature, to your user they are just another feature. 3) Prioritize what your user needs from the integration and what value it provides them over what it costs you. Figure out the costs to serve that need. 4) Don't treat app integrations as one-offs, as side projects, or outside of your primary engineering discipline.
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From my point of view, all these aspects are covered under the umbrella of API Governance. Then clearly defining how has to do what and how is definitely a must. When considering update plan for app's built on top API and how a version upgrade/downgrade can impact on the app's ecosystem affected, I would recommend sending proactively information to app devs (so they can update their app) and also provide enough information of the changes involved (tutorials, how to fix features, videos, support, and so on).
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