Blog

Individual API Deployments Will Get Smaller and More Numerous

by Kin Lane on 02/02/2013

Master API architect at Layer7 Technologies Mike Amundsen (@mamund) has a great post this week on Four Tech-Related Trends That Will Shape 2013. One of the predictions that caught my eye was that "individual service deployments on the Web will get smaller and more numerous"--he clarifies it with: Influenced by the existence of the many mobile apps running on a single device, Web-based services will become small, single-focused offerings that (in the words of Doug Mcllroy) “do one thing and do it well. ” This will also explode the number of available services. The advantage of this trend will be an increase in the agility and evolvability of service offerings. The challenge will be an increased need for governance at the “micro-service” level. I have to agree. I think the smaller we can break resources down, the better. Agility is key in the API economy. But as Mike points out it won't come without its new set of problems, like life cycle, governance and discovery. Much like web pages, I think we'll still try to estimate the number APIs available, but there will be so many, we will lose track in the near future.... read more.

Tags: Layer7, Mike Amundsen

One API Discovery Definition to Rule Them All

by Kin Lane on 02/02/2013

When I talk about API discovery, in-person at events, or on my blog(s), I notice people automatically default to thinking I mean a universal API discovery language that will work for all web APIs. I think the technologists that operate in the API space are always striving for technical perfection--resulting in the discussions that you see around REST, HATEOAS, OAuth and similarly for this one about API discovery. I’m thankful for the passion and dedication of the technologists in this space, but when it comes to API discovery, I’m never talking about a universal language or approach. I personally just don’t believe there can be one definition to rule them all. When I reference API discovery, I’m focusing on API discovery at the provider level, and providing information and resources that allow people who launch APIs to be successful. I have no interest in defining or support a world-wide or industry level definition for API discovery. I leave these conversations to all y'all tech pundits. I am a fan of supporting API providers to do something, anything! Sure, it should be a standardized as you feel necessary.... read more.

Tags: API Discovery, Directory, Hub, Search

New Open Source Backend as a Services Platform for Game Developers

by Kin Lane on 02/01/2013

A new player in the Backend as a Service (BaaS) space has emerged, from former OpenFeint co-founder Peter Relan--called OpenKit. The new BaaS platform is targeting game developers, providing cross-platform tools for both iOS and Android. The core features of the gaming BaaS platform are: Cloud data sync - Save game progress in the cloud with data storage. Sync it across both iOS and Android devices for a consistent gaming experience Leaderboards - Drop-in leaderboard SDK's for both iOS and Android. Give your users the opportunity to compete against millions of other players Facebook & Twitter auth - Users login with familiar third party social networks like Facebook and Twitter. No need to create and manage accounts. OpenKit handles it all Cross-platform support - OpenKit supports both iOS and Android. Our native SDKs are lightweight and will take just a few minutes to integrate into your game OpenKit represents a trend I’m tracking on where people are pulling together specialized or virtualized stacks targeting specific groups of developers.... read more.

Tags: BaaS, BaaS, OpenKit

Traffic and Weather - Virtualized API Stacks

by Kin Lane on 02/01/2013

I recently added the Traffic and Weather podcast to the right hand menu for everyone to enjoy. What John Sheehan (@johnsheehan ) and Steve Marx (@smarx) are doing on the podcast is SO needed in the API space, I highly recommend subscribing to the podcast in your itunes and listening regularly. I was honored to be critiqued in the podcast this week, where they “gently” disagreed with my post from earlier this week on my speculation around virtual API stacks. So I wanted to “gently” respond and help clarify. The first 60 seconds, pretty much sum up rebuttal, where they make my argument for me by saying IFTT and Zapier are already doing this? Which is the whole basis for my story except I use Singly and Temboo as examples. All of these providers are in the same space in my opinion, I think maybe they are just referencing what they are familiar with (as John used to work at IFTTT). Second they read in that I’m envisioning some grand discovery language? Not sure where this comes from.... read more.

Tags: Traffic and Weather, Virtualized APIs

Storytelling Is Essential Companion To Open Data and APIs at World Bank

by Kin Lane on 02/01/2013

I had the pleasure of being on stage with Tim Herzog (@tgherzog), a Open Data Specialist from the World Bank yesterday at the DC API meetup at NPR. During the QA panel, at the end of the meetup, a question came from the audience, stating that open data from government is often boring, and thus is the reason much of what we see built on government isn't that exciting--alluding that there has to be more high value, exciting data that isn't being released. While I agree that much of the data made available from open government initiatives is boring and stale, and there are probably much better datasets available, I also think this is more of a storytelling problem, than a data problem. After the question was asked, I quickly answered by pointing to my left at Tim Herzog, and said the World Bank does an awesome job at this. If you look through the World Bank data catalog, and spend time looking through their blog, you see a symbiotic relationship between their open data, APIs and the stories they tell on the blog. This approach is similar to what I'm calling Hacker Storytelling, the only difference is I am hosting all my stories on Github as individual repositories.... read more.

Tags: Hacker Storytelling, Open Data, World Bank

A Conversation About APIs in Washington DC

by Kin Lane on 02/01/2013

I came to Washington DC this week for meetings with a couple federal agencies and a handful of private companies who contract with our government--including a conversation last night at the DC API Meetup Group, which met at NPR offices downtown. The API Meetup started with pizza, a healthy selection of beer and networking with around 50 API professionals and API curious from around the DC area. I was able to meet about 15 folks I know online, but have never had the opportunity to connect with in real life. Ben Balter (@BenBalter), one of the Presidential Innovation Fellow (PIF) kicked off the conversation with a presentation of some of the cool API discovery, CSV to API, DB to API and various tool he's developed during his time as a innovation fellow. I totally dig Ben's style, in making very small, but powerful open source tools that can make a real difference in how government opens up data via APIs. I was up next, giving a talk titled, "From Web, to Programmable Web, to Programmable World". I wanted to give everyone a healthy dose on the history of APIs, some views on where we are currently, and where API are going with an introduction to concepts like aggregation and automation.... read more.

Tags: DC API Meetup, Washington DC

Protecting Your Brand With API Branding Guidelines

by Kin Lane on 01/29/2013

One of the top five concerns I hear from companies considering APIs is regarding losing control of their brand. With APIs being about access to raw data and resources, companies immediately think that developers will extract the value, without any attribution or reference to the companies brand. Even with this being a major concern, I see many APIs implement very poor branding guidelines, giving developers zero direction regarding how to properly provide attribution. This is a missed opportunity to not just protect the API providers brand, but actually extend it and increase its value. With this in mind, I'm always on the lookout for good examples of API branding guidelines. One recent example I came across while monitoring my API Stack, is from the Active Network which provides activity and outdoor content via their APIs. Active Network starts with a great explanation of why they provide branding guidelines: At ACTIVE Network, we want you to be able to create fantastic applications with the ACTIVE Network APIs. At the same time, we don't want users to get confused about who is responsible for the data they are accessing, so we have some brand guidelines.... read more.

Tags: Active Network, Attribution, Brand, Branding Guidelines

App.net File API And The Opportunity for Private Label BaaS Resources

by Kin Lane on 01/29/2013

App. net has just released a File API to add to their messaging and communication stack, allowing any App. net account to natively store files via the social platform. Each App. net account will be given a 10GB file storage area, allowing applications to read and write files, that can be linked and embedded within App. net communications. This approach reminds me of what I’m seeing within the backend as a service (BaaS) space with other common developer resources like user management, object storage and key-value stores. App. net is just making sure developers have the resources they will need to be successful building web and mobile apps with the App. net API--a similar motivation for BaaS providers as wel as other API providers. While many developers are fine with using multiple API providers to get what they need, I can see an opportunity to provide the essential resources developers will need within the primary API that they are building their app around. As essential API resources are further commoditized, it seems like an opportunity for private label BaaS resources to emerge.... read more.

Tags: App.net, BaaS, BaaS, File API, Private Label, Resources

Does Your API Have a Built in Incubator or Accelerator Program?

by Kin Lane on 01/28/2013

API ecosystems are all about research & development, and an opportunity for incubating ideas and apps in a way that invites 3rd party developers and companies to develop innovative ways of using your company assets and resources. I’ve discussed incubation within an API ecosystem before, and how companies are not just identifying developer talent and the best apps, but actually investing in companies via their API. A new example of this in action is Nike's launch of their Nike+ Accelerator--a partnership with TechStars that will host 10 companies for a three-month, immersive, mentor-driven startup accelerator designed to spur development on the NikeFuel, the Nike+ FuelBand, and Nike+ Running API platform.... read more.

Tags: Accelerator, Incubation, Incubator, Nike, TechStars

Virtualized API Stacks

by Kin Lane on 01/28/2013

Up until now we tend to think of APIs individually--we approach integration in terms of the Twilio API, Twitter API or the Facebook API. But as the number of public APIs has grown beyond 8K, and an unknown amount of internal and partner APIs become available, we are seeing new patterns of aggregation and interoperability emerge from companies like Singly, but also seeing automation be added into the mix by companies like Temboo, and entire backend stacks from providers like Parse. These new aggregated or backend stacks of API driven resources can be as general as object and key-value stores, user management and other developer commodities we see backend as a service providers (BaaS) bring to the table, or they can be very personal like the photos Singly is aggregating across Flickr, Facebook and Instagram and with friends and followers across Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. As I see these new aggregate and BaaS providers emerge, at an ever increasing pace, I can’t help but think--this still isn’t fast enough (its my nature, you should try being me).... read more.

Tags: Aggregation, BaaS, Interoperability, Virtualized APIs, Virtualized Networks