How to Develop Mobile Apps Faster and Smarter with APIs?
Digital technologies and customer experiences have evolved rapidly in recent years. New approaches and patterns have emerged to better support enhanced and seamless digital experiences. More importance is given to the integration between the client and server today than ever.
For this digital transformation to take place, developers use APIs.
What exactly is an API? It is something that allows developers to implement functionality or bring in data from third-party sources. APIs support integration by allowing two applications to communicate with each other.
Why do I need an API?
With an API, your mobile application is technically still functional. Although, it isolated from the rest of the software world. Like for e.g. if you are a hotelier with a website, you’ll want to show a map so as to guide visitors to your restaurant. You can, of course, create a custom map for your website, but there are Google Maps available which are more reliable and have better functionalities. Plus, Google Maps are familiar for users to operate. Therefore, you can use the Google Maps API to display a little piece of it on your website.
Or if you have created a portal which needs your users to create an account to log in. You can create a separate sign-in form or you can give them the option to log-in via Facebook, Twitter or other social media APIs so their data is automatically synchronized and they don’t have to fill-in additional forms.
How can APIs be used for faster mobile application development?
APIs create a dynamic and versatile development environment
Digital transformation needs an environment that encourages versatility, adaptability, innovation and agility. This means that your business processes, technology and the people involved (employees, customers, partners etc.) need to work together.
APIs are essential to creating such an environment. They connect your stakeholders with your back-end services and allow new capabilities to be built on them. Adopting an API management solution allows your mobile app development company to design, create, publish and manage APIs that gives your company the agility it needs.
APIs enhance your agility to swiftly create new digital assets
Digital transformation can be prompted in an ecosystem that is agile and easily adaptable. Your company needs to have the ability to create new services- either from the beginning or by combining existing services in order to fulfil customer expectations and demands.
APIs can be your composable digital assets that leverage the services you offer and give needed exposure to your users. Due to its composable nature, the APIs can give you the desired agility by piecing your assets together to make innovative solutions that meet the evolving business needs.
Your API management solution needs to allow you to design, publish APIs in an iterative manner- while giving you full control of the API lifecycle. This helps decrease the time spent on creating your APIs and assist you to deliver your services faster.
Enables better collaboration and unification of development processes
Approaching development from an API perspective enables you to create different software components with greater attention to their integration. Furthermore, since APIs are sets of clearly defined rules, applying API for your business will make all development teams use the same rules and formats- such approach will make the app code more streamlined and transparent.
Leverage the value of your legacy applications
Legacy applications are those systems that are deeply embedded in your organization that you cannot do without. Digital transforming doesn’t necessarily mean you need to get rid of them. By making your legacy systems API accessible you can leverage their capabilities and use for your new solutions.
API management solution helps overcome the challenges that come with revealing certain services of your legacy systems by upgrading out-dated security protocols to modern, user-friendly ones.
