I need to build a REST API fast — HELP

It’s no secret that API development can be challenging, especially if it is not your speciality. You may find yourself in a situation where you are required to build a REST API for some purpose with limited knowledge of the subject, and you need to do it quickly. If so, this is the post for you.

I’m sure you can find the definition of an API anywhere on the internet, but for convenience, here is my rudimentary explanation:

An API (Application Programming Interface) is a set of functions and procedures that allow software programs to communicate with each other. The API acts as a bridge between two software applications, and both applications can use the API to carry out tasks that would otherwise be difficult or impossible.

An API can take many forms but typically receives input data in one format, transforms it into another format and returns the transformed data to the caller. For example, an API might receive JSON data from a web client and return HTML content to be rendered by a web browser. This is an example of a REST API.

For the context of this post, we will be referring to an API when I mean to say REST API. Let’s take a quick look at the API development process.

API Development

To successfully develop an API that allows your users to retrieve data, you need to design, develop and host that API.

Each one of these activities has a collection of nuanced steps and requires a set of skills and tools to be used:

Design — To design the API, you can opt to use something like OpenAPI 3.0 specification. This specification will allow you to document the REST API’s look, define its interactions, and be used as documentation. A tool such as Postman or SwaggerUI is useful for this step. You can also opt to design the API via a wizard in a tool such as Linx. Linx has a SimpleRESTHost component that allows you to easily design and alter your API via a GUI.

Develop — Now that you have a design, it’s time to code. You will need to make a choice of what tools, technology and standards you will be using. This step will also involve the integration of different technologies and systems. Typically, an API that will be used to provide data to a user will involve connecting to your database, data lake or data warehouse. You will also need to take into consideration security and authentication.

Hosting — Now that you have workable code, you need to host it. Hosting gets tricky because of the number of options available. Are you going to self-host on-prem, or will you opt for a cloud solution? How will you handle security and monitoring? What is your budget? You must consider these questions when choosing where to host your API.

Traditionally each of these activities has a variety of tools. For example, designing the OpenAPI specification can be done in YAML or JSON. Coding can be done in python, JavaScript, C# or a low-code tool. Hosting can be done on either an on-premise server or with a cloud solution. These are all tools that, if you are not familiar with them, you will need to learn. It makes sense then why many organisations have multiple teams to care for different sections of the API development lifecycle.

When working with an API it is also important to understand the methods that are typically used in a REST API:

• GET: Used to GET something from the server, or put in another way, used to read from the server.
• POST: Think of this one as sending a letter with information to be added to the server/service. POST is used to add or create something. When working with data you will add a new record to a data set.
• DELETE: As the word indicates, this method is used to delete a specific resource or data piece. When working with a data set this can be used to delete a specific record, or when working with media you will use this to delete an image.
• PUT: This method is used to update a resource. You can also use PUT to create a new resource where the client has control over an ID
• PATCH: This method is used to update a specific piece of a resource. Meaning if you do not want to update an entire row in a data set, you can use PATCH to only update a very specific piece of information.

All of this may sound hard and as if it will take a while to do, but this is where your requirement and tools at your disposal will make all the difference.

Making API Development Easier

We live in a fortunate time where we have many tools at our disposal to make tasks easier. From process automation, data capture, and even API development. Depending on the tool you choose, you can develop an API without even having to touch code. Let’s say you go for a low-code tool (tools that require you to code a minimal amount, they mainly work with drag-and-drop interfaces). If you choose a low-code tool chances are you can have your API up and running in a single day, depending on how complex your requirement is.

I prefer to use Linx when building an API. Linx follows a common programming paradigm, meaning that it feels familiar and has many programming concepts, however, it still allows for rapid development as it has a drag-and-drop interface.

When creating a REST API with Linx you need to install the REST plugin, drag the SimpleRESTHost, setup endpoints via a wizard-type interface and lastly add the back-end functionality:

It is important to note that you have full control over security and what happens when the API is called.

You can also test your API by debugging it. Debugging will create a locally hosted version of your API that you can call using any testing tool or even a browser. This allows you to ensure that the API behaves as expected, and ensures that you can catch errors well before you deploy to your server.

Once you are ready, you can deploy your API to a Linx server, where hosting and monitoring is done, your clients can then call the API.

If you would like to learn more about building and hosting APIs with Linx, please see the full guide.

Of course, there are many other low-code options available, so if Linx is not for you, you will be sure to find another tool that can help you develop your API.

Final thoughts

Building and hosting an API can be a challenging and somewhat intimidating task. There are many things to consider, but it can be done quickly and efficiently with the help of a few tools. Low-code tools can help you reach your goal quickly. More often than not you don’t even need to fully understand all the nuances of coding an API in order to develop and deploy one. With all that said, be cautious and aware of the low-code tool’s capabilities and limitations.

If you would like to learn more about Linx, you can find out more on the the site.