Why Should You Choose a Third-Party API to Add Real Time Chat Feature?
Building an application from scratch is a thing of the past as there is no dearth of third-party tools, services and software applications, APIs and SDKs that developers can use to customize app features without having to code from scratch. It’s no different for real time communication either. If a business requires to add real time chat or messaging features to their application today, they’d prefer to go with an API instead of investing in months of coding. Why? Simply because of the overall ease and investment involved in the process. With a third-party chat Application Programming Interface (API), you get access to ready-to-use functions that can be incorporated into your app, allowing you to focus on other pressing issues.
An API, or application programming interface, is a set of code that enables the transmission of data between two separate applications. The best part about using an API for developing apps is that it speeds up the process dramatically. Real time chat in particular is a feature that every app requires today — be it a marketplace, on demand delivery, ride hailing or a social community. It is a core part of the digital experience and can be found in virtually every app, site, and platform that exists today, from retail and travel to media and marketing. Especially for start-ups, it is one of the imminent requirements that can help resolve enquiries in real-time and boost one-to-one sharing on their platforms.
Trying to manage all these messages in one place is cumbersome. That’s where chat APIs come in handy, providing developers with the tools necessary to create scalable chat experiences that grow with their businesses.
What is a Real Time Chat API?
The word API stands for application programming interface. It’s essentially a way for platforms to talk to each other. In this case, it’s a way for developers to access cloud-based infrastructure equipped with features that help them build real-time chat streams and experiences within one platform.
Imagine you’re a game developer and want to create an interactive map for your new game. Typically, you would have to start from scratch with the design and development of this feature. A third-party mapping SDK makes it possible for you to incorporate a ready-made map into your software, saving you time and effort. Similarly, for apps that want to build user engagement on their platform, real time chat is the easy and obvious addition.
Ready-to-Integrate Chat API Means Less Time and Costs
Real time chat API makes it easy for businesses to boost communication and enhance user engagement. With features like private and group chats, push notifications, analytics, chat data, and fast communication they are able to build trust and retain more users. Let’s take a look at few reasons why a third-party chat API is better than building chat from scratch:
1. Faster Time to Market
One of the biggest benefits of third-party chat APIs is that they can save you a lot of time. These APIs are already tested and are functional on other platforms too, which minimizes the chances to struggle with bugs and inefficiencies. The time to integrate chat is much shorter than the time to design and develop it in-house- almost one-fifth of the latter thus you save on this and can make it available to your users in a matter of days. With most of the APIs you get code samples, libraries, tutorials, documentation and customer support to speed up the integration process.
Why is video communication important for your business today?
2. Cost Efficiency
From hosting to integration, the cost of building real time chat from scratch is huge. To host and store further transmissions, you not only need to set aside a significant amount of money but also need a team that has thorough understanding of hosting chat on any server, as the process involves various complexities. Besides that, various unexpected costs may come up due to the vendors or other issues related to downtime, scaling up, etc.
Partnering with a third-party chat API saves from all such costs as you pay only as per your contract with the provider or a fixed- rate plan. Chat API companies have a dedicated team to fix all such issues in the fastest manner so they are in a better position to control costs, downtimes and other surprises that may come along.
3. Customizability and More Flexibility
Every app has certain unique requirements so the need to customize is inevitable, which adds to time and more complexities. Even if you have outsourced the development process to some external vendors, it can cost you heavily in terms of time as well as commercials. Customizing everything to your application demands specialized talent, an API on the other hand is customizable and already comes with advanced features like 1-on-1 chat, group chat, profanity filters, rich media sharing, push notifications, etc. When you already have all of this, it’s a matter of hours to get started and add real time chat to your app.
Want to Launch an In-App Chat Soon? Let APIs Do the Legwork.
With an in-house solution, there are certain things that you’ll be limited in when creating your product, such as design capabilities and customer support issues. With a third-party solution, however, there aren’t these same barriers, which means that your app can grow with your brand as needed. Also, scaling up is not a problem because you do not have to invest much into planning and all other resources as and when your user base grows. A third-party chat API has a strong foundation to support scalability and future goals of any product. It can handle the load for you, so you don’t have to worry about investing in expensive infrastructure upfront or adding new features as you grow.
4. Ease, Value & Security
Third-party APIs can be an important complement to your application. With a ready-to-use API, you save time & resources to develop extra features with the least amount of time and investment that will make your app even better. Hence with third-party APIs you are getting added value and competitive advantages at a lower cost.
Also, inadequate infrastructure has a high chance of being vulnerable to security breaches, exposing your business and customer data to hackers. A third-party chat API partner owns deep expertise and the human resources needed to build a secure and effective chat infrastructure.
Transform Your Application into a Highly Engaging Platform with Advanced Real Time Communication
Not only that, but by using a pre-built Chat APIs, you can free up your dev team to focus on your app’s core functionality and client-side features. That way they can make it truly awesome.
Quickblox is proud to be offering the most advanced, most innovative, and most secure chat API on the market. It seamlessly integrates with any app to provide real-time communication features that exceed users’ expectations.
