A small fintech startup in Europe back in 2015 was fighting with the mobile app launch. Every release got delayed and was a source of frustration where new updates need collaboration from backend engineer to front end developer. After that, they started with API first strategy.
In just six months: their doubled food, they released API integration 3x the faster and customer satisfaction skyrocketed. This story is not unique. With giants and complexities of the software platforms scaling, API first strategy is rapidly becoming the yardstick adopted by most modern software teams. But why? Let’s dive in.
Hail to the API First Development
API first development is a method in which you develop APIs as first-class citizens during the initial phases of software design. Far from the conventional way we add APIs after all core functionalities are built, API-first means that an engine is put first.
Visualize creating a city: not roads which come last, but roads first so that everything can flow.
API first development: A paradigm shift towards interoperability, scalability & collaboration — exactly what you need.
API-First is the Game-Changer
1. Speed to Market
To be honest: speed is everything in the world today of software-kind. Using an API first methodology, the front-end and back-end teams can develop in parallel using contract-based APIs. There is no need for one side to complete before the other gets started. This simultaneous development has a profound impact on go-to-market.
A healthtech firm employing API first strategy announced they were able to release 3 products in the time it required to ship one in the past. That is the agility modern businesses want.
2. Seamless Integration of Third-party Services via API
Today, the best applications we know of rely on long-form APIs (whether they be payment gateways, analytics platforms or CRMs or AI services) seamlessly integrated together. With API first, the integrations are almost always painless since your architecture was purpose-built from day one
Say you are building a logistics app and you push to put Google Maps to it. API-first development means your systems are already modular and external services plug right in without any need for architectural overhaul.
3. Consistency and developer experience
Modern software development best practices are plagued by inconsistencies across platforms, which constitutes the biggest peril. An API first approach to building a platform creates data structures, end points programming ideas and common authentication across mobile, web and sometimes IoT.
In addition, clear and articulated APIs tell other developers ( partner, vendors, open-source community etc.) that they can get up and running fast. You are not just building software, you are building an ecosystem.
4. Building Your Architecture to Last
Silent killer of innovation – Tech debt With traditional software paradigms we usually end up with spaghetti code and tightly coupled systems. An API first methodology provides modularity, which makes it simple to swap components, scale features and migrate services to new platforms(like AWS to GCP) with the least amount of friction.
It is no accident that major examples of the adaptable digital infrastructure such as Stripe, Twilio and Shopify are api-first culturized giants.
5. Enhance Teamwork
No More Siloing — Developers, QA, designers & product managers Have Learn to Communicate The days of developers, QA silos — designs dropped by angels software development best practices nowadays demands us to do cross-functional collaboration. This is enabled by a specific API-first method that utilizes version controlled clear contracts for the API. Everyone — from UX designers to backend architects — have the same reference point.For better communication, zero miscommunication and no rework and the project stays on top of business.
6. Microservices And Serverless Architecture Enablement
Microservices = API-oriented development; APIs is how microservices talk. APIs ensure that your services are loosely coupled but tightly integrated … the fricken’ holy grail of distributed systems.
In the same light, for serverless functions (AWS Lambda: where APIs serve as an interface layer) APIs are what glue everything together. An API platform also natively helps to organize this complexity, which facilitates development and easier to scale the infrastructure.
7. Making Testing and Automation More Friendly
And, building software with the Modern software development best practices in mind. Begin with APIs. Natural implementation of the API-first approach is testable — you can start testing with your endpoints before they are even implemented like in postman/sedogger. Also, mock APIs allow developers to mock responses in the UI tests and lessen the back-pressure from rendering the first frame.
8. Drive Business Innovation
The Strategic Part of this is: API-first development is NOT a technology choice, but a business enabler to adopt. Let me give an example: you are a SaaS company and you want to get new revenue streams by having partner API integration. If your APIs have been well thought out, are secure and scalable, you can pivot quickly to launching affiliate programs or embedding tools in partner ecosystems, or even facilitating a developer market place. API integration goes from technology enabler to business growth enabler.
Misconceptions of API-First Development
Myth 1: It’s only for big companies.
Wrong. Even startups benefit greatly from API driven development because they can build a scalable MVP that doesn’t always have to be a ‘rewrite from scratch’ after Series A.
Myth 2: it slows down dev.
You may spend a little longer planning out your APIs at first — but the returns are huge in faster iteration, cleaner architecture and less reworking down the pipe.
Myth 3: Big dev team need
Actually, small teams using an API first approach are predicted to be the highest performing as they spend less time syncing conversations and building.
How to Migrate to API-First
If you’re swayed but at a loss for where to begin, check out this brief base map
Step 1: Let’s Define Vision
Help leadership, product and engineering get alignment on how API-first is important to your company.
Step 2: Tool Selection
Test with Swagger/OpenAPI (API documentation) and Postman for each end point; then use Kong or Apigee as your API platform.
Step 3: Foster the Internal API Culture
Leverage apis as the prime way your teams can talk and code. Push for re-usable components, joint versioning, and collaboration.
Step 4: Start Small
Select a green field project or re-write the same little module in API first. Test drive your approach and iterate against this as a gauge.
API-First Scaling: A Step by Scenario – Velocity Post
eTraverse (a logistics company) recently revamped the tracking system they are using at their end. Once hit by latency and integration hell, they went API first. In less than 4 months,
- Delivery tracking API latency decreased by 40%
- Third-party vendors were called from 3 weeks to 5 days
- App Inconsistently: Customer drop in 70%
It wasn’t just a tech upgrade, they also replaced their service experience.
Reflections… Don’t Build, Build Smart
Apis are the foundation of the digital economy. All sectors ranging from e-commerce to banking, logistics to education are moving into being an API driven development. Making DevOps App-first is not just cool; it is essential to keep pace with the accelerating world of modern software development.
You are not only improving code quality by embracing best practices like API driven development, but you are cutting agility, scalability + innovation loose throughout your entire organization. A product manager building the next unicorn, CTO assessing your tech roadmap; developer stuck in an early integration nightmare — everyone needs to make API-first their next big move.
API-first to you ready?
We at eTraverse focus on building high-end, scalable and safe enterprise API ecosystems. Whether you need to start from the ground up or are reinventing your legacy processes, our team will work to architect and deploy an API platform that is right in-line with how your organization will grow.
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