Every business is chasing after innovation. Technology has been able to overwhelmingly respond to this demand through consistent observation of what works. 

An application programming interface (API) allows websites to perform in ways never before possible. This will make APIs sound like a must-have, but there are a few things to consider before implementing one. 

What happens when a website doesn’t have an API? 

Not every website needs an API, however, the fact that some may simply not require one doesn’t mean it’s necessarily optional for everyone. Without an API, the application will be limited in terms of how it processes and manages data. This can be summed up by saying that every web service is an API, but not every API is a web service. Confused yet? Let’s break this down into when to build and when not to build:

When you should build an API:

• Your website has a lot of data that needs to load quickly and run without the need for refreshing.

• If you want your partners or customers to have complete or limited access to your data.

• You have the same data that you want users to be able to access in various ways or places.

• Angular or React is the front-end framework you’re interested in.

• You have a vision for a desktop or mobile app.

An API is never something that should be implemented on impulse. To get the most out of implementing a system like this, you need to evaluate the goals of your business.

When you might not need an API:

• You don’t have any intentions of growing or changing your application (it may be a temporary platform).

• You need something as simple as a landing page or blog spot.

• You’re unaware of the technical aspects that go into API development.

• You’re not interested in moving your application to mobile or desktop. 

The most fundamental characteristic for anyone looking at API development is understanding the implications that come with giving your users access to your data. If your website involves sharing sensitive data, you’ll likely want your users to have to sign in to access it. This is the same approach that should be taken when it comes to APIs. 

Nobody should be able to publicly access it if you’ve built it for specific users. This is where API keys come in handy. In the case you want your users to be able to access data with ease, you can use them to keep track of who’s using what and keep anyone who may be a threat to the API locked out.

There is a lot to consider when building your API. With that being said, let’s go over the top 5 thing to keep in mind:

1) Scalability 

When it comes to the performance of APIs, scalability is its ability to cater to however big or small your user base is. For example, whether you have 20 users tonight or 20,000 users tomorrow morning, its performance will be consistent. If you’ve implemented a solid API with a reputable developer, it’ll cost you less when the system is scaled down.

2) Rate Limiting 

To prevent instances like DoS attacks, web scraping, or anything that can crash your network, you’ll want to use rate limiting. What this does is control how many requests are processed at a time (eg. limiting rapid logins of the same account). 

3) Authentication

Think about who you want accessing your API. It can be open to the public or limited to clients, employees, etc. Any form of limit regarding how your API is used or how much it's used will require measures for authentication. 

4) Documentation

When a developer needs access to your API, they’re going to need guidelines for how they can use it. These guidelines should highlight what kind of requests are permitted, the type and format of data that can be inputted, and how the API will respond.

5) Logging

When users receive an error message from your API, you’ll want to know why. Logging is useful in this case since it can track requests and responses. In addition, logging will allow you to get a sense of the frequency and duration that your API is in use.

Why APIs?

When it comes to API development, every application is going to have its unique requirements. This is because data is constantly flowing in and out of the servers. Essentially, this is why APIs were created; there needs to be a safe harbor for organizations to keep information secure and regimented under a single platform.

The Takeaway

APIs have been extremely useful for businesses looking to give third-party access to their data. It is not essential that every business has an API (at the moment), but it will be useful in some cases, especially for software-based businesses. If you think you may be in need of API technology, you should always make sure you go to experts in the technology who can guide you along your journey.

Written By Ben Brown

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ISU Corp is an award-winning software development company, with over 17 years of experience in multiple industries, providing cost-effective custom software development, technology management, and IT outsourcing.

Our unique owners’ mindset reduces development costs and fast-tracks timelines. We help craft the specifications of your project based on your company's needs, to produce the best ROI. Find out why startups, all the way to fortune 500 companies like General Electric, Heinz, and many others have trusted us with their projects. Contact us here.