More and more, improvement groups are adopting a API-first strategy to software program improvement, the place APIs are the constructing blocks of the software program and every part else is constructed round them. That is in distinction to code-first, the place your complete software (together with the API, UI, and different elements) is deliberate collectively on the identical time.
In line with the postman 2024 API Standing In line with the report, 74% of respondents adopted the API-first strategy in 2024, in comparison with 66% final 12 months. “APIs are not an afterthought however the basis of improvement, with between 26 and 50 APIs powering the common software,” Postman wrote within the report.
The advantages of this technique embrace quicker API manufacturing and quicker restoration from failures. This 12 months, 63% of respondents had been in a position to produce an API inside per week (up from 47% final 12 months). Moreover, organizations that comply with this strategy can sometimes get better from API failures in lower than an hour.
“By prioritizing API design, governance, and safety, groups can unlock new alternatives, ship APIs quicker, and guarantee their APIs are protected and optimized for the longer term,” Postman stated.
Whereas API-first has many advantages, it doesn’t utterly get rid of the challenges that API builders face, resembling poor documentation and lack of correct collaboration.
Thirty-nine p.c of respondents say inconsistent documentation is the most important impediment to API improvement. Forty-four p.c learn the supply code to grasp their APIs, however greater than half collaborate with individuals who do not perceive the code, resembling product managers, QA, and designers. Forty-three p.c even have issue getting data from different builders who could also be working asynchronously in several time zones.
The report additionally discovered {that a} third of respondents use a number of gateways for his or her APIs, indicating that “the standard single gateway mannequin is changing into out of date.”
One other constructive discovering is that 62% of respondents generate income from their APIs and 33% report that APIs account for greater than 50% of their complete income.
“APIs are not simply technical enablers: they’re revenue-generating merchandise…This alerts the emergence of the API-as-product mannequin, the place APIs are designed, developed and marketed as strategic belongings,” the report states.
And at last, AI can also be leading to elevated API utilization: AI-related visitors on Postman’s platform has elevated 73% within the final 12 months. Corporations now need to create APIs not just for people, but in addition to work together with synthetic intelligence techniques.
“The AI period is pushed by APIs. The speedy adoption of chatbots like ChatGPT has confirmed that AI bots are going to enhance the state of human-computer interplay. Till now, we have primarily been designing APIs for people, however designing APIs for machines will develop into an more and more essential space… and AI alone will not enhance productiveness; High quality APIs are wanted to remain forward in trendy software program,” the report concludes.
For its survey, Postman surveyed greater than 5,600 builders and API professionals, and made observations primarily based on the exercise of the greater than 35 million customers on its platform.
