Time is money in the API industry, and everyone wants to be timely for the API’s milestone event: its eventual launch. Delays in this event can be very costly, so the sooner the API can be integrated, the better. Many developers start their work knowing quite well that the clock is ticking. But prioritizing a quick launch—at the cost of everything else—can do a lot of damage in the long run. A rushed launch may result in unstable integration, a host of errors and bugs, lower end-user satisfaction, and decreased trust in the API company.
And that’s where the challenge lies for developers. On the one hand, you don’t want to be overly slow with the API release. On the other, it’s not good to be too eager to launch and take the product to market before it’s actually ready. Given those two extremes, what’s the best course of action that developers can take?
Much of it has to do with knowing what the most common pre-launch mistakes are. Here are five that you should avoid. Having foresight about these mistakes could be the biggest favor you’ll do for your API.
Not Being 100% Clear on the Purpose of the API
Something that most developers take for granted is that everyone is on the same page with regard to what the API is meant to accomplish. But that’s why it’s number one on this list of mistakes. It’s actually quite easy to lose sight of the goal as the development process gets more and more complex. You may eventually find that you’ve chosen the wrong kind of API to work on. Or, maybe you didn’t focus on the right priorities in your API design workflow.
To avoid this, take special care in identifying the types of API you’ll be developing. Moreover, see to it that the work you’re doing is fully suited to what the client expects. You don’t want to end up solving the wrong problem—so make sure that everyone is on track to solving the right one.
Testing the API Solely for Single Request-Response Interactions
One rookie mistake in testing is looking only at individual calls and responses, and failing to think of the API as a whole application. That’s what determines the API’s completeness and ready for integration, not its performance for specific calls. Judging the API solely on its success for certain calls and responses may lead to a false sense of security about its overall performance. You can imagine how deadly this may be for the launch.
Prevent this by being holistic about your testing, and checking extensively against real-life scenarios. Use real data, and test your API’s performance against the volume of user traffic you anticipate for it. This is the best way to prepare it for a smooth market release.
Fixating on Software Development Kits (SDKs)
Yet another mistake developers often make is to jam-pack the API with as many SDKs as possible before the launch. This is likely made in the belief that a lot of SDKs will sweeten the deal for the API’s adoption.
But will doing so actually improve the API, or will it cause the opposite effect? The SDKs may be more trouble for developers than they’re worth. If they don’t come in the programming language that your outside developers prefer, then they may not have been necessary in the first place. Plus, a lot of SDKs on the API release may mean more code changes to roll out in the future. So, this is a factor that you will definitely need to think about before the launch.
Not Being Set on the Service Contract for the API
A service contract is meant to communicate the API’s design to everyone involved. It’s a mistake not to agree on one right away. If you aren’t already set on your service contract, it may increase the amount of dependencies you and your team are dealing with. And that, in turn, will make the pre-launching of your API much rockier for everyone involved.
The best thing you could do, as early as possible before the launch, is to adopt a format like OpenAPI Specification (OAS). Using OAS will establish a service contract that everyone can follow and uniformity in handling the API’s components. Since everyone will understand their job function better relative to the API, you’ll do cleaner, more efficient work all the way up to its release.
Not Thinking about What Will Happen Post-Launch
The last mistake developers make—but definitely not the least in terms of gravity—is not considering what will happen after the launch. Give some thought to new complexities that can be introduced into the system, and new problems that may be encountered by the API. You should have ready answers for the future of the product, even before it’s scheduled to be launched.
Put in the extra effort by showing your clients mockups or design documents of the API-in-progress. Then, share the potential problems that you’ll oversee together. This will impart your clients with a sense of collaboration and trust, which will no doubt make API integration a more positive experience for everyone.
In summary, foresight counts for a lot. Being aware of the problems beforehand will secure a better fate for your API before, during, and after its launch. Make it a point to prepare the best possible product for market release.
