When you set out to build your first API, it can very well be that you are either overwhelmed or forget essential points. The ecosystem for API tools is vast, and it’s vital to get the right tool for every phase of your project.
In this article, we will go through the different phases an API project usually has. For every phase, I will list the significant points and tools that help there.
Build Phase
The first phase is the build phase. It’s defined by major decisions we have to make before we start implementing and later the actual implementation of our API. We have to ask what type of API we want to build. Is it RPC or REST? Do we have to push updates to the users in real-time, or can we get away with a pull-based approach?
Depending on the requirements our use-cases have, we have to choose technology that fits. On the other hand, we also have to keep an eye on our developer’s skillset; if we select tech nobody can handle, we won’t build anything good.
Design
Design tools can help us with planning our API and even generating common parts of it. They force us to follow best practices, so even less-skilled personnel can build secure and performant APIs.
Usual API design tools include:
Also, a side note, before using the tools it is important to understand API design patterns. Learn more.
Mockup
Mockup libraries are another part of the toolbelt. They can be used for testing and help client implementers to start building before the actual API is ready.
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