API New Year! Before jumping headlong into the new decade, I want to take a moment and revisit some of the API strategy highlights in 2019. I covered several topics on the MuleSoft blog last year, but here are some of the bigger non-blog items worth giving a second — or first — look.
API Strategy Essentials Whitepaper
This was published at the start of the year, written collaboratively by MuleSoft’s Aaron Landgraf and ProgrammableWeb’s David Berlind. They do a great job analyzing the factors that lead to a successful API strategy, and covering the right approaches to succeeding with an API program. Importantly, this paper introduces the API Strategy Blueprint, a four category framework that we use to structure much of our API strategy guidance.
Figure 1: The API Strategy Blueprint
MuleSoft’s API Strategy hub
We launched this website in May as a one stop shop for information on API strategy and implementing API programs. The launch coincided with our first CONNECT event in Atlanta, where we first announced the availability of our API Program Workshops. I especially like the detailed pieces Elise Ackerman wrote that dive into the essence of how APIs can power an organization’s digital transformation strategy. This site is updated regularly to ensure you get the latest insights and information on API strategy.
API ecosystems in The New Stack
The New Stack is one of my favorite sources for information on how cutting-edge technology is being applied practically. In the fall, they published this piece on the importance of API ecosystems. The central concept of this article is the shift taking place from the industrial economy of the 20th century to the digital economy of the 21st. I look at the change in supply chains, supply chain management, and supply chain optimization. It’s no surprise that APIs play a central role in this optimization. But, in my own experience writing the article, I found it revelatory how the steps in the digital supply chain help to surface the key elements of a thriving API ecosystem.
ALC and application networks on the Salesforce Blog
Salesforce has had an overwhelmingly positive influence on MuleSoft since the acquisition, both business-wise and culturally. To close out the year, I had the opportunity to discuss the current state of the art in enterprise application integration. MuleSoft introduced the concepts of API-led connectivity (ALC) and application networks in recent years, frequently detailing how their benefits can be realized through the Anypoint platform. This article articulates ALC and the application network effect in a broader context, and ties back to the digital aspirations of organizations currently undergoing digital transformation.
I hope these resources are helpful to you wherever you may be on your API journey. Expect many more in the coming year!
