I'm a newer developer trying to get a better understanding of how people actually work with APIs in practice. I want to know if you're typically on the side of building APIs—like creating endpoints and documentation—or if you're mainly using them—like integrating services such as Stripe or internal APIs into your applications. Or do you do a bit of both? What are your usual use cases when working with APIs, what tools do you find helpful, and what do you think is essential for getting started and being successful? I'm eager to learn how you tackle these tasks and what makes your workflow smooth or challenging. Any anecdotes or tips would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
As a full stack dev, I mostly build internal APIs, which are critical for our systems. We have a few external endpoints, but the majority of my work revolves around creating APIs like GetUser(int userId) for user login flow. While I've worked in places that consumed a lot of external APIs, it's not the norm for me.
Usually, the developers who build APIs are backend developers working with languages like Java, Python, or JavaScript. They often use frameworks designed to simplify API creation and data handling. On the flip side, frontend developers typically consume these APIs to display data on user interfaces, though it's common for developers to do both as full stack devs.
If you’re starting out, Postman is a great tool for experimenting with APIs. It lets you call API endpoints and see exactly what data you can work with.
Totally agree, Postman is super helpful for new developers! Another good tip is to check out Swagger for building APIs in .NET—it can generate documentation and help test endpoints easily as you develop.
My role typically includes both building and consuming APIs. Lately, I've been leaning more towards building them, which I find more engaging. As demands change, I need to integrate data from other services, which often entails using existing APIs to enhance what I develop for the client-side displays.
I primarily work with various warehouse APIs to manage everything from order status to shipping rates. While I do build and maintain our own API for reporting purposes, the bulk of my time is spent consuming APIs like FedEx and UPS for logistics. I frequently use tools like Postman and SOAP UI for testing and integration tasks.
A good way to think about APIs is that they serve to connect multiple services rather than creating one monolithic application. By modularizing functionalities, you allow different systems to communicate efficiently. Developing APIs is often about managing dependencies across services, allowing for a streamlined flow of data based on specific needs. It's a pretty interesting area of development!
Building internal APIs has its perks! But I often find myself immersed in consuming external APIs too, especially for specialized tasks like sending emails or messaging through other services.