First-Class APIs, PHPTek 11, Chicago

First-Class APIs

Helgi Þormar ÞorbjörnssonPHP Tek, Chicago, 25th May 2011

Thursday, 26 May 2011

Hi there, I’m Helgi


VP of Engineering at Orchestra.io



Developer at PEAR



Developer at PEAR

From Iceland



Developer at PEAR

From Iceland

@h on Twitter


1995 2000 2005 2010

John MusserFounder, Programmable Web


Why do we need a website?

1995 2000 2005 2010




Of course we have a website

1995 2000 2005 2010





Why do we need an API?

1995 2000 2005 2010





Why do we need an API?

Of course we have an API

1995 2000 2005 2010



Data is the new business model


APIs are the business glue


Business without an API?


Developers hunger to use your data


Do not keep it all to your self


The data wasn’t yours to begin with!



Mine?Mine?Mine?Mine?

Mine? Mine?

Mine?

Mine?

Mine?


Not everyone believes this


They do like their ivory towers


For years APIs have been treated as...


Second-Class Citizen


Why?


It’s a conceptional problem


Companies believe they will lose business if they share


Websites are considered the business


Not the API


APIs are for the cool kids


Or...


Not enough money


Not enough time


Not enough resources


Not enough foresight


Finally the time/money comes


Shoehorned onto the website


Hot tub awkwardly attached to a house



Sparse Documentation


Ill maintained code


Lack of testing


Ticket response time is in the weeks not days


It is a problem with management


APIs should be...


First-Class Citizens



Inconceivable?


Absolutely not!


2010 Mobile


2011 Tablets


There are few companies that really get this


Opening up the API when they release mobile clients


New trend for startups


Start with an APINot

a website.


Start with an APINot

a website.


Why do this?


Mashups!


Supply and Demand


There is a demand for APIs


Developers are the supply


Going First-Class?


Common architecture


Data


Data

Website


Data

Website

MVC


Data

API Website

MVC


Data

API

MVC

Website

MVC


Data

API

MVC

Website

MVC

REJECTEDThursday, 26 May 2011

Data


Data

Website


Data

API Website


Data

API Website

MVC


Data

API Website

MVC

REJECTEDThursday, 26 May 2011

Upgrading the API to First-Class


Data


Data

API


Data

API

Website

MVC


Data

API

Website

MVCMobile


Data

API

Website

MVCMobile 3rd Party


Website as a client


Data

API

Mobile 3rd Party

Website

MVC


Data

API

Mobile 3rd Party

Website

MVC


Data

API

Mobile

JavaScript

3rd Party

Website

MVC


FRAPI(getfrapi.com)


API First?


Ideally!


At least plan for it


Higher upfront cost but lower in the long term


Any downsides!?


Of course!


Additional Overhead


OAuth/Security + Website


Eventually Consistent


The First version always sucks


Keep things internal if need be


Data

API

Website

MVC


Data

API

Website

MVC


Data

API

Website

MVCInternal


The gain?


API becomes the core business


Single Codebase


Better Documentation


More extensive tests


Better response time on bugs


Consistency


Higher upfront cost but lower in the long term


The Story of Twitter


This is just an example


I am not trying to be an asshole to Twitter :-)


Started in 2006


Took off in 2007 at SXSW


20k 60k tweets per day


200% Growth


There was no API


Developers asked for it


And of course it got bolted on


API was half cooked and organically grew


They tried their best, but...



#NewTwitter in Oct 2010


Web client consuming it’s own API.


More care was taken on the API side


What if Facebook did the same?


In conclusion


Treat the API as your core business


Or at least plan it from the start



ClientsLogin

Image Hosting

URL Shorteners

Analytics

etc

etc

etc


ApiGee & Mashery


Outsource the innovation of UX to people who know

how to!



NO MORE


Thanks for coming!

Joind.in: http://joind.in/3400

@[email protected]


http://joind.in/3400

http://joind.in/3400

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

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First-Class APIs, PHPTek 11, Chicago