Authoritative advice on creating and running a successful API program.
The number of articles, books, and documents available on the topic of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) might lead you to believe the topic has been well researched and well documented. But in fact, confusion abounds, especially about the best ways to create and maintain a successful API program.
This book addresses that confusion. It encapsulates years of practical experience on how to make the right decisions at the right times when planning, designing, developing, and marketing APIs. It’s your go-to resource when you want to:
- Understand how to develop your API program’s business case
- Discover how to best engage your API consumer audience
- Learn the best ways to design, build, test, and deploy APIs regardless of technology
- Improve the chances of success of your API program over the long haul
Technology will come and go, but the best practices for building an API program are here to stay. Make your journey through the world of APIs a successful one with this book as your experienced guide.
Petracek provides an excellent guide on how corporations should leverage an API based service ecosystem to deliver amazing digital customer experiences.
—T.M. Ravi, Managing Director, The Hive
Nelson has taken the complex, technical, arcane, but critical topic of application programming interfaces (APIs) and explained them in a manner that allows the reader and Information Technology practitioner to understand.
—Salil Kulkarni, EVP & Interim Chief Information Officer, Caesar’s Entertainment
This book takes you through everything you need to think about and work through to build an API competency. Each chapter sets out concrete actions for making your program state-of-the-art, and I highly recommend it to anyone involved in that effort.
— Maureen Fleming, Program Vice President & Analyst, IDC
Topics
Chapter 1: Defining the API
It’s all about the Interface
Before APIs: Electronic Data Interchange
How APIs work: Like a web browser for programs
What APIs do: Agnostic glue
API jargon and conventions in this book
Chapter 2: Unlocking the Power of Yes with APIs
The Power of Yes for development projects
The Power of Yes for robot deliveries and interactive TV
The Power of Yes for the API platform and program
APIs support your digital transformation strategy
Chapter 3: Making Money and Measuring Success
Metrics and program design
The five API monetization models
Chapter 4: Staffing Your API Program
Product development
Technical support
Marketing and communications
Business development and partnerships
Evangelism
How big does this team need to be?
Chapter 5: Building the Business Case
Align with business drivers
Planning tools and frameworks
Key metrics and considerations
Chapter 6: Understanding the Developer Audience
Three virtues of the programmer
What all developers value (despite their differences)
A multi-dimensional approach to developer segmentation
Chapter 7: Creating a Great Developer Experience
The developer’s buyer journey & workflow
Keeping the lines of communication open
Building a community of developers
Chapter 8: Developer Evangelism, Advocacy & Marketing
Practical problem solvers
Developer evangelism
Developer advocacy
The developer marketing funnel
Chapter 9: Understanding the API Lifecycle
Building applications by assembly
Ideation through deployment
The tail-end of the lifecycle
Chapter 10: Discovering and Designing Your APIs
Identifying what to build
Usage patterns and placement
Scanning the API landscape
Chapter 11: Building your APIs
The API development process
Architectural patterns and approaches
Chapter 12: Supporting Your API Consumers
Documentation and tutorials
Code samples and SDKs
Support and feedback
Bringing it together
Chapter 13: Real-world API Management
What Is API management?
Security
Change management
APM for APIs
API management: build or buy?
Chapter 14: APIs for the Long Haul
Review for continuous success
What’s next for APIs?
Final thoughts
About Nelson
Author, Frequent Speaker, and Chief Technology Officer Nelson Petracek helps shape the development of TIBCO technology platforms and products. With over 20 years’ experience, he draws upon his deep knowledge of APIs, cloud, event-driven architectures, analytical applications, and other innovation areas to advise on information creation and delivery patterns.
