We construct scalable and secure APIs that serve your users
Overview
As an API development company that specializes in software development, we’ve seen how excellent APIs can allow an application to grow by allowing other programs to easily communicate and scale. We’re here to walk you through what an API is and why using APIs are essential in today’s technology landscape.
What is an API?
Before we continue further, let’s define what an API is and what they allow companies to do. Short for “Application Programming Interface,” an API is a method or set of instructions for computer programs to communicate with each other.
APIs are the backbone and driving force of modern web-based applications. They allow applications to integrate with each other, and for users to efficiently make requests and receive data from back-end applications.
API's use cases
Whether you’re using a mobile application to allow customers to order a pair of shoes, or have a website that allows customers to book flights, you’re likely requesting data and information that’s delivered from another source through one or more APIs. Some of these APIs may also be custom, allowing a service like a flight booking website to deliver a unique experience to their customers.
What is Custom API development?
We’re an experienced back-end and API development company that has worked across many diverse product types and use cases.
Whether you need to build an API to serve content, integrate with another program or application, serve external customers, or support microservices within a larger application and product, our API development services can help you design, plan, and build the architecture and functionality for your API.
Provide solutions
Reasons to develop APIs
Developing an API can be a strategic move for a company that wants to serve multiple applications or use cases with a single back-end development project. Companies that benefit the most from developing a custom API generally have one or more of the following use cases or needs for applications and software:
While it is not an exhaustive list of reasons to develop a custom API for your business’s use case, this should give you a good idea of some of the core reasons to hire a trusted development company.
API architecture considerations
As an API development company with various API development services, we help companies think through and strategize API architectures and features to accomplish their unique development needs. Here are some important aspects and features to think through when considering building a custom API:
Security is a top priority when developing a custom API. Regardless of your API’s use case, building an authentication and permissions layer into your API is a great place to start. API authentication plays a critical role in API development, and your vendor should use trusted industry-standard services like O-auth when developing APIs for customers.
A powerful and versatile means to connect applications
Types of API’s and use cases
API’s have a wide range of use cases and corresponding complexity.
Accomplish any task
APIs vary from simple to complex. A very simple API may access a simple database and return simple data in a standardized format using a JSON structure. A more complex API or series of APIs and their services will require multiple connections and sets of data that then must be brought together. An example of a potentially more complex API system is an application that lets you purchase a flight and then automates, tracks, and updates you about your luggage’s status once you’ve checked in for your flight.
Develop scalable business models and B2B services
API-focused companies are often categorized as offering infrastructure as a service (IAAS). Notable IAAS companies include Stripe (payment processing), Plaid (bank connections), and other companies that take the development legwork out of tedious and time-consuming yet frequently built operations. These companies have developed their APIs to streamline operations for other companies to access, consume, and integrate into their own software.
Customized solutions
The value of APIs
APIs allow companies and their customers to access valuable data. An example of an API product could be a payroll API developed for companies to consume and customize into their own payroll workflows. With a product such as a payroll API, the customer would be able to leverage the payroll API to run payroll operations such as tax calculations and payments instead of developing customized payroll software for themselves.
Efficiency and innovation
API development companies spend years developing integrations, features, and edge-case support so their customers experience easy integration, scalability, and frictionless use with complex flows and customization. Other companies that develop APIs to serve only consumers like their customers or their internal teams can spend much less time on development and can get fast functionality on the timescale of months.
Looking for a custom API development company?
Whether you are a consumer products company, software company, or B2B services company, we have the API development services and experience to define, develop, and deliver custom API solutions for your use case.