Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are everywhere. Apps and services work with APIs in place, and they’re used for everything from accessing data to hiding complexity from the end user.
For businesses, there are numerous advantages gained from building a robust API. These advantages include greater scalability, improved security, easier GDPR compliance, and faster development speed.
Yet before you can start to enjoy these benefits, it’s important you know how to successfully make an API. This quick starter guide will highlight five steps to take when building your first API.
Step #1: Decide on your goals
What do you hope to achieve with your API? What value will it provide for both your company and intended users? Before anything else, these are the questions you need to answer before you jump into writing any lines of code.
Once you have a full understanding of your goals, you have the necessary foundation to build your API – whether it’s for a private or public audience.
Step #2: API design
Again, before any coding takes place, you should take the time to plan out the design and architecture of your API. Along with fitting your requirements – and matching your developers’ needs – your API has to fulfill the following non-functional requirements:
- Reliability: Minimal downtime is a necessity for your API.
- Usability: Minimal effort should be required for developers to understand and use your API.
- Scalability: If there are any load spikes, these should be handled by the API system.
- Security: Cybercriminals shouldn’t have an easy opening to penetrate the API.
- Testability: If any defects exist, these should be easily identifiable for testers.
For further information, Stoplight has put together a comprehensive API design guide.
Step #3: The development stage
The goals are in place. The design has been finalized. Now it’s time to finally put your plan into action and develop your API. The process is a repetitive one, where a single endpoint should be added at a time. This gradually incorporates more functionalities, which are then tested and documented before moving on.
Taking this meticulous approach, where you can manage errors and exceptions once they are encountered, limits the potentially costly and time-consuming problems that can linger in the APIs code.
Step #4: Testing
Testing is the key to knowing your API is functioning as expected. The good news is that, due to API virtualization, the testing can begin before you have even finished developing your API. Various test types can also be used, including Unit, Integration, Reliability, Load, Security, and Functional tests.
Step #5: API management
Once your API is deployed, it’s important you use an API management platform. Why? With this platform in place, it guarantees your API added scalability, performance, and security.
API management is also beneficial due to how it allows you to accurately monitor and measure metrics. You can look at aspects such as API uptime, response times, monthly unique users, and monthly revenue (if monetized). You can then use this information to further refine and improve your API.
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