Top 5 Reasons You Need to build API in your Software [Product]

Lots of software companies or companies that develop some business software through a third-party software developer or in-house developer(s) ignore this important step (or call it option if you like). They produce software without a proper API, thinking that this is just a fancy thing to add later or an extra whistle that they do not need. After all, the software runs well, deliver the required outcome and most probably already incurred some (extra budget and/or time).

Weather you are developing your own software product to sell to customers, or building a software product to help your own company. I strongly advise that you plan, document and implement an API for your software.

Before going into the reasons, let me brief you on the development approaches for an API:

A)    API first approach:

Here developers build the API first, before developing the Interface or other major functionality. This approach is the best approach, if you are just started developing your product. It is the most cost-effective approach in terms of saving development time and improving compliance.

B)    API second approach:

In this approach, you build your API on top of your current product (software). Obviously, it is the best approach if you already developed your product, or even if your product is in shipment!

 Here are the top five (5) reasons why:

1-    Force consistency and lower unplanned-code:

(this applies only if you do API-First approach to software-product design)

When you first design your API, then build your users interface functions and interface around it. This forces developers to focus on the required features rather than trying different things. Also, it forces consistency of code delivery due to clear code-expectations.

2-    Give your customers a chance to integrate 3rd-party services (software) to yours.

When you have an API in your software, your customers can integrate more of their tools and services to your software, making it harder for them to live without your product. It is the best business hook possible!

3-    Add new features without touching your code base.

You can add a new feature without touching your original source code!. In case of old code base, or a new programmer in the team, adding a new feature using API will be a breeze… without a need to see full source code and understanding how the database is structured.

4-    Generate more income!

You can lease your API access to other companies who wish to integrate to your software; this will convert your API into a product itself!

5-    Force code modularity:

Again, this applies only if you do API-first approach to software product design.

When building your API first, you force all subsequent code to be built on top of the API layer and this improves your product design and renders it more modular.

Conclusion:

I believe that adding an API to your software(product) will not cost you more than 20-30% of the total budget in terms of time and resources, but I guarantee you that it will save you loads of (time and resources) as well as it will increase your base code profitability in medium to long run.