Recreating the Real-World API With Low-Code

Building a fully functional REST API from the ground up is a large project for any developer and even more challenging for IT professionals unfamiliar with the nuances of how APIs are coded, deployed, and maintained.  

Thereʼs is an opportunity for low-code tools to reduce the time spent on API integrations. These tools can lighten your load and manage most of the complexity for you, allowing developers to work on other aspects of their stack. 

Perfecting Network APIs

Humans have been in the business of engineering since the beginning of our existence. Software engineering hasn’t been around for very long in this context; however, our collective learning about the process has increased exponentially nevertheless. The tools and technology behind everything from source code to computing machines have evolved rapidly. One static, fundamental principle will continue to shape the tech economy and how future businesses will run. This series discusses how the Modularity Principle will force all of us to find a specialty and perfect its network API.

Complex Systems

All systems are simply a sum of their parts. When I see someone look at a monstrous problem and become flustered, they’re usually flustered because they don’t even know where to begin. Other times, they know where to start, but they balk at the amount of time they perceive it takes to solve the problem. This balking is a valid defense mechanism that prevents us from wasting our time on things that do not matter to us. 

Latency Cost of Implementing API Policies (Anypoint Platform)

Practicing an API policy to API invocations sums treating overhead, which rises in increased latency (decreased response time) as seen by API clients. Depending on the type of API policy, that latency is up to 0.38 milliseconds (approx.) per HTTP request.

Improvement in HTTP request-response latency into the application of several API policies, which are enforced set in the API implementation.

Recognizing Bounded Contexts and Bounded Context Data Models

Recognizing Bounded Contexts and Bounded Context Data Models

Because accommodation reservation does not have an outlined, strong enterprise data model, it uses bounded context data models. To recreate this process:

  • Identify bounded contexts
  • Assign each API to precisely one bounded context, based on the defining (governing) data types for that API Anypoint Platform Architecture Application Network
    • The defining data type of the "Single Room Search SAPI" is single room booking
    • If an API has no clear set of defining data types, or if those data types are used in significantly different variations in different operations of that API, then the API is likely too coarse-grained and should be broken up
    • Designate a bounded context data model for each bounded context, based pragmatically on the needs of the APIs in that bounded context
  • Reuse the bounded context data model in the APIs of that bounded context

How to Identify Bounded Contexts

  • Begin with the organizational building by directing basic units where important business concepts are used in a coherent and uniform way
    • Examples include single room booking, resort booking, party hall booking, lunch or dinner booking, customer relationship management, etc.
  • If you have any doubt, favor smaller bounded contexts
  • If you are still unsure, put each API in its own bounded context
    •  Note: It is not recommended to adjust API data models within APIs

A bounded context data model should be published as RAML fragments (RAML types, possibly in a RAML Library) in Anypoint Design Center and Anypoint Exchange so that it can be easily re-used in all APIs in a bounded context.

API Design: Tabs vs Spaces

API Design

With Thanksgiving behind us, the holiday season is now in full effect with lights on houses, jingles on the radio and relentless commercials reminding us we need to buy gifts for our loved ones. It is during this time of year when I drive past the giant USA pet stores, not you, but rather Petco and PetSmart, that I’m reminded of this slogan: “A dog is for life not just for Christmas.” Now, what if we were to change the word “dog” to “APIs”?