The Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How of APIs
Download as PPTX, PDF
0 likes4,942 views
The document discusses key aspects of building APIs including why organizations build APIs, when it is time to develop an API, what types of APIs should be built, who APIs should be built for, and how APIs should be supported. Specifically, it notes that NPR launched its open API in 2008 which powers NPR's mobile, web, and car applications and allows over 100 stations to access and customize content. It also provides examples of the types of data that NPR's APIs expose like stories, stations, schedules, streams, and transcripts.
The Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How of APIs
- 1. The WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY, HOW* of Building APIs (* not in that order) Javaun Moradi, NPR @javaun
- 2. (This slide isnt a W or H) NPR Open API launched in 2008 Try it: http://dev.npr.org or Codecademy.com Powers all of NPRs mobile, web, cars apps 100+ stations retrieve content & add their own
- 3. (Last background slide for a while) NPRs APIs Stories Stations Schedules Streams Library data Transcripts
- 4. WHY are APIs so sexy?
- 5. APIs are about the opportunities you dont miss.
- 6. WHY do we love APIs? Keep pace with your product needs Innovate quickly Reuse, dont reinvent Serendipity
- 7. WHEN is it time to get an API? Mobile aspirations? Data/services useful in more than one place? Departments need to share/collaborate? Decouple your systems? Be more nimble? Share your service (free or for profit)?
- 8. WHAT do you build?
- 9. Smart small (you can add more later)
- 10. Build for actual user problems (Dont liberate data unless thats your mission)
- 11. Intuitive and self-documenting (developers hate to read)
- 12. Drink your own (be your first customer)
- 13. Build something imperfect. (Be ok with that.)
- 14. WHAT should you measure? Speed, for starters Usage is great for management Do you monetize your API? Numbers dont tell you value Do you measure other tools?
- 15. WHO do you want to be? (Big IT vs. Leading the business)
- 16. WHO do you build it for?
- 18. WHERE should your API live? Data.gov One size Sunlight Labs AP World Bank Open NPR API NPR API we use public private Twilio Google Custom Netflix
- 19. HOW: DIY vs. Vendor
- 20. HOW do you support it?
- 22. Now what? (Hang on tight)
Editor's Notes
- The reality is that NPR, stations, and partners were almost all of the usage.
- This is not an authoritative depiction of where these APIs live, its an exercise I used to think about where our APIs should live and how much resources/time should go into each area.
- The space is really nascent. We dont know where its going to go. It is critical to our business and we want to be in full control of our roadmap. Its our core technology, were invested.