Looking for the Best API Integration services?
The rising demand for dynamic web and mobile applications in the past few years magnified the role of API development services. Startups, as well as mature companies, sought the best API integration services to enhance their services and platforms. But what does API integration really mean and how can it benefit your business?
What is API integration?
An Application Programming Interface (API) is an interface that facilitates the connection and communication between two or more software applications. It allows businesses to automate processes and enhance the sharing and embedding of data between several applications and systems. For example, a tourism application collects data from airlines, hotels, and other related businesses by calling their APIs.
API integration is the process of creating a way for APIs to communicate and share data. It allows businesses to automate their systems, facilitate sharing of data, and integrate applications. Custom integration services have become essential because of the rise of cloud-based products and apps. Organizations need to create a connected system where data is linked between various software tools. This improves the flexibility of information, service delivery, and embedding of content.
API Integration Benefits
Fuel Business Growth
Investing in managed APIs can affect business growth through:
- Improving software development efficiency: Well-managed APIs accelerate software development by making digital assets easily consumable and reusable. They enable parallel development efforts and modern DevOps approaches such as maturing software products through rapid iterations.
- Enhanced developer and end-user experience:
APIs enable organizations to collect analytics and insights about how and by whom APIs are being used. The information helps them iterate their APIs so developers can create better experiences for users, making the business evolve and grow wisely. - Entering new markets:
Through APIs, businesses package their digital assets for external partners. As more external parties use their APIs, those become more utilized in different contexts. This helps providers enter new markets and broaden their scope of innovation.
Link Systems
Businesses might be storing tons of data without efficiently using them as an asset. Lacking the right tools and processes, the value of data remains unrealized. An API connects all your company’s systems to one platform so that you can easily connect several systems, applications, and websites. It is a user-friendly interface that allows you to send and receive data on different systems and assemble them in one place for better follow-up. This also allows a company to easily measure key performance indicators (KPIs), track resources and engagement, identify patterns, and develop new insights.
Increase collaboration
Disconnected systems within an organization affect its ability to use data, as well as its ability to work effectively and collaboratively towards achieving common goals. Shared tools, platforms, and data are the foundation for strong collaboration.
APIs support cross-functional management and facilitate coordination by:
- Connecting the tools that are already used by teams reduces the time to find data and increases productivity.
- Creating a common platform for tracking activities enhances transparency and accountability.
- Automating the sharing of knowledge improves accuracy and communication, making sure all teams are using the same information.
Facilitate the integration of new technologies
Having APIs at the core of your business infrastructure means you don’t have to start from zero. APIs allow organizations to support their existing systems when introducing new modern technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation.
API development services build APIs both for the cloud and with multiple users in mind, making them more ideal today than limited legacy integration options. An example of the benefits of APIs for integration nowadays is present in most companies’ marketing departments. They use a wide range of tools including a CRM platform, email marketing, an analytics solution, social media outreach system, etc. By using APIs, marketing teams are able to create a stack that enables the whole department to use all solutions simultaneously.
Reduce risks
APIs can operate as a security layer protecting data against internal or external threats. With the options of public, private, or internal APIs, an organization can control access to its systems and data. By having your API development services team build security provisions or limits into the API code, access can be controlled and data, security, and regulatory compliance ensured. Users require permission and credentials to be given authorized access, which both protects sensitive information and provides an audit trail.
Benefit from our API development services!
Cloud API
A Cloud API is a software interface that allows developers to link cloud computing services together. Those are services that allow IT customers to obtain computing resources on the internet.
Cloud APIs are often categorized as either Vendor-specific cloud APIs written to support the cloud services of one specific provider or Cross-platform APIs that allow developers to connect functionalities from two or more cloud providers.
There are 4 protocols that support Cloud APIs:
Representational state transfer (REST) APIs
Use the HTTP protocol to create, read, update, archive and delete records. It is a distributed system framework that uses web protocols and technologies and involves client and server interactions.
GraphQL
It only pulls relevant data from several sites using a single request. This reduces the delay before data transfer and makes the app or service much more responsive to the user.
Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)
is for implementing Web services. It allows communication via the Internet between two programs, even if they run on different platforms, use different technologies, and different programming languages.
JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)
is an open standard data exchange format based on a JavaScript syntax subset. JSON is text-based, lightweight, and generally considered easily readable/writeable. It is commonly used in web app development.
Third-Party API Integrations
Third-Party API integration is when a program uses functionalities from other applications, adding external data to the internally developed app to enhance its features. Those are often large popular enterprises that enable you to use their software functionalities or data on your website or app. Doing so saves businesses time spent on building certain functionalities from scratch. Examples of third-party API Integration are:
Google Analytics
Usually used by digital marketers and SEO experts, it is a popular third-party API integration tool for tracking and collecting information about website visitors.
Google Maps
It’s the most popular geolocation API, and the most used as a third-party API integration by online games, transportation apps like Uber, and other industries.
Facebook Login
It is one of the most preferred third-party API examples for login authentications, commonly used by businesses who require logins and want to avoid data duplication.
If you seek to integrate third-party APIs into your business, here are some best practices in third-party API integration:
Review API documentation
Proper API documentation provides you with necessary information such as usage limitations, data input, output, instructions on how to use the API, pricing details, and other implementation details.
Choose reliable and tested APIs
There’s a risk of choosing poorly maintained and untested APIs that can lead to poor user experience and revenue loss. Make sure to choose reputable custom API development services providers and integrate tested APIs to deliver a solid user experience.
Integrate security measures
Known API development services providers offer high-level data protection and encrypted connection, while others offer APIs that are prone to security breaches. Make sure the APIs you select are protected against data theft and security threats.
Ensure scalability
Your company evolves over time. So choose a scalable API able to grow along with your user base. It might take more time to develop, but you will avoid having to shift solutions when your business grows or redoing your existing third-party integrations.
API maintenance
Following an integration, you need to assign IT team members or a developer to handle API maintenance, preserve API maintenance standards, and take care of upgrades. You will also need to follow up on customers’ requests for modifications and improvements. Two major aspects of API maintenance are:
Testing
API testing generally consists of making requests to a single or multiple API endpoints and validating the response. The emphasis is mainly on the testing of business logic, data responses, security, and performance bottlenecks.
Monitoring
API monitoring is the process of collecting and analyzing data about the API performance to identify problems that might be impacting users. If an application is running slow, monitoring allows you to understand the cause before fixing it.
API consulting
In order to achieve the extensive value of API integration, you will need the right expertise, strategies, technologies, and proven successful processes. As part of Web API development services, your company will need API development consultants to guide and support your company in optimizing the success of its integration initiatives. API consulting provides end-to-end services to help companies overcome challenging connection requirements, and integrate data, applications, systems, and devices.
At Staggering ROI, our team of consultants formulates solutions and recommendations for our clients based on thorough analysis, taking into consideration the company’s processes, requirements, security, and architecture. We provide high-quality API consulting services that match your business idea and guide your company towards efficient custom software development.
How can you find the best API integration development company?
Instead of looking for the best API integration development company, you should find the API integration development company that best matches your specific API integration standards and requirements.
Before choosing a company, make sure to check their previous clients’ reviews, and if possible, get an introductory consultation meeting before you sign any agreements. It’s important that you talk to their tech lead, get to know their approach, and most importantly whether they understand your business goals and what API integration standards you seek.