SAP Integration Suite is SAP´s multi-cloud hybrid integration platform that allows enterprises to build real-time integrations at scale. It comes with pre-packaged out-of-the-box integration packs that accelerate integration projects. With its rich set of capabilities, SAP Integration Suite offers holistic integration including Process Integration, Data Integration, B2B Integration, B2G Integration, Event-driven Integration & API based Integration transforming organizations into
Intelligent Enterprises.
Importance of API based Integration
Enterprises and their IT departments strive to provide seamless connected experiences to their customers, partners and employees. In this new normal under COVID-19, they are seeking opportunities to digitize their businesses completely and provide superior experiences at a faster pace than ever before. Having reusable APIs and API based integrations that can be used to build innovations on top, act as a boon to application developers since they can deliver faster, based on existing assets. There is reduction in time-to-market and cost savings in many cases. The reusable APIs also reduce the maintenance load on the developers since the APIs are developed once but reused in many integration scenarios. For example, API developers can build the APIs to access the systems of records just once. These can then be used in integration scenarios spanning across these systems. In contrast, point-to-point ad hoc integrations slow down the integration projects and are fragile in nature. Hence API based integrations need to be seen as a vital part of the integration strategy for every enterprise.
Lifecycle of APIs
Building good APIs is an art. They need to be easy to use, always available, easily traceable for usage & performance. Having a well-defined development lifecycle helps organizations build enterprise grade secure APIs that scale & are easy to consume. The process starts with
designing the APIs using open standards that make them easy to understand for application developers. This is then followed by
implementing/developing the APIs to add the necessary business logic to access the backend data or processes. Once the APIs are functional & tested, they can further be
managed in accordance to the organization’s governance policies and secured against threats. Once the APIs are in production, they can be
monitored and analyzed for usage, performance & errors. Further on, the APIs can be published into a portal to
engage with application developers & the eco-system.
Low-code API development
Low-code development platforms enable software applications to be built using graphical/visual interfaces and configurations instead of traditional hand-coded programming. They accelerate the time to build applications and open up application development opportunities to non-programmers. Latest research shows that 60-65% of software development will happen in a Low-code fashion in the coming years. Can API development & management happen in a Low-code fashion? Can API developers quickly implement APIs & add protective policies without having to write hundreds of lines of code? Can API development be democratized? The answer is a resounding
yes.
How does SAP Integration Suite help in Low-code API Development?
SAP Integration suite includes the capabilities Cloud Integration and API Management that enables API developers to develop & manage APIs in a Low-code manner. Some of these facilities already existed, some are new & some are yet to come!
Take a look at the below two blogs where we detail out how APIs and API based integrations could be built in Cloud Integration and how those APIs could be managed in API Management – all in a Low-code manner. This is really our first step and will continue to improve the experience & strengthen the API development tools in the coming months. Thanks for reading & do share your feedback.
1.
Building APIs & API Based Integrations in Cloud Integration
2.
Managing APIs coming from Cloud Integration in API Management
