The ‘API-led-Connectivity’ is the buzzword in the industry, especially if you are into the integration domain with API-led integration platforms like MuleSoft. This alluring buzzword claims to connect and expose the organization’s access, and deliver the integrations at speed and reuse.

What exactly does API-led-Connectivity do? 

API-led-Connectivity is the method to connect the data into the application via reusable and purposeful APIs. The APIs are developed for a unique role like unlocking the data from the systems, composing them into processes, and delivering a more significant experience.

If the organization adopts API-led-Connectivity, every stakeholder in the business can enhance their capabilities in delivering the best projects and capable applications through discovery and self-service.

Why is API-led-Connectivity important? 

The API-led-Connectivity decentralizes enterprise data access and its dependence on the reusable APIs to create new capabilities and services. The reusable assets produced can unlock critical systems like data sources, legacy applications, and SaaS apps.  IT teams can reuse them as API assets and design the process-level information. This approach increases the agility, speed, and productivity of the integration process.

APIs that enable API-led-Connectivity 

The API-led-Connectivity connects and exposes the assets. This approach can help to connect things point-to-point. Each asset becomes a modern and managed API, which makes it visible through self-service without losing control.

The APIs used in the API-led-connectivity approach has three categories-

• System APIs
• Process APIs
• Experience APIs

System APIs 

System APIs give us the means to insulate the data consumers from complexity or change the underlying systems. Once they are built, consumers can access the data without understanding the details about the underlying systems. System APIs are fine-grains, independent, and highly reusable.

They integrate well and also support more than one value stream or enterprise capability. It defines the business ownership and shared usage contexts which can be complex stuff. If the absence of shared infrastructure business capability, enterprises may fall back on other methodologies to derive their ownership in simple terms. System APIs are the ones that expose the underlying back-end systems and insulate the caller from the changes to the underlying assets.

In allocating System API ownership, one should consider the short-term and long-term goals of a shared System API, which simplifies the decision. For example, a shared system that does not require minimal improvement but must always be available to reduce the risk associated with a business owner’s role.

The technician can get a balanced view under pressure and has a rational experience that goes hand in hand with the system’s power. On the other hand, a shared system used to introduce new products and applications can prepare for the near future purposes of a legitimate business owner with a sound basis for technical concern.

Another high assumption is that shared resources require shared leadership. Establishing shared infrastructure management committees can achieve high results in a single identity through the diversity of knowledge.

Process APIs 

Process APIs create business value by working through single or multiple systems. It is generally done by using one or multiple systems of APIs.

The API process provides ways to integrate data and organize multiple system APIs for a specific business purpose (e.g., 360-degree customer views, order fulfilment, etc.). They are often used to build a business where attributes are managed in many records systems (e.g., SAP, Salesforce, etc.) through various business functions (CRM, Customer Support, etc.).

The API process reflects the business services and usually supports the business delivery portfolio (i.e., products and services). Identity API IDs typically reside with the owner of a value stream that includes supported products and services. If this does not happen, increasing levels of cooperation are needed among many stakeholders. This collaboration can be achieved by organizing the leading organization that manages the Process API and its traffic, production cycle, and performance management strategy.

Concerns about the Process API’s identity can be even more complex than the System APIs. The number of communication sites is greater than that of the standard System API, which only meets one recording system. In addition, integrated services are highly dependent and can create significant difficulties in controlling the quality-of-service, problems involved, including functionality, error management, tracking, segmentation, etc.

As the Process APIs are so close to concrete business collaboration, assigning technical staff to play the role of a business owner is becoming increasingly unlikely and becoming more problematic. On the other hand, given the technical difficulties of integrated services that have been drawn away from experience, the definition of a single owner also has its problems with trade-offs.

Experience APIs 

Experience APIs are similar to the processing API because they integrate many other API content, features, and functionality. However, unlike API processes, Experience APIs are tied primarily to a unique business context and organize data formats, contact times, or agreements (rather than processing or creating them) for a particular channel and content.

Experience APIs are a way to customize data for the convenience of its targeted audience, all from the same data source, instead of setting up an individual point-to-point integration for each channel. Experience API is usually done to build the original API designed for the intended user experience.

Additionally, Experience APIs inform and share a presentation platform specific to a unique business context. It provides a way to deliver pre-formatted data. It is particular to the intended audience. It can quickly process the data to suit the intended business environment.

Remember, Experience APIs are designed to provide a way for collaborative application developers to quickly provide data to previous applications used by customers, partners, and employees. Therefore, Experience APIs follow a “pre-build” approach – that is, the API contract is specified before the actual implementation of the API. API buyers run it in collaboration with User Experience experts who determine that the internet connection should use it from a design perspective.

The Way Forward

The API-driven connectivity approach to delivering IT projects ensures time and budget savings on the first project. It also creates reusable assets that build resilient infrastructure for better visibility, compliance, and governance to meet business needs and a long-term stored value.

It gives you the ability to move faster on your first project and accelerate progressively from your second project onwards, thanks to renewable assets and organizational strengths. An API-led-connection frees up resources and allows you to refresh and move faster.