Advantages of Local APIs for Independent Software Vendors

Creating an API for your application can be an easy task that takes you mere minutes -- or a seemingly insurmountable challenge that requires weeks of hard work. It all depends on whom you're designing the API for and what it's intended to do. However, there are a few major concerns that tend to crop up when designing business APIs: data security and credentials management, integration with older systems on the back end, and concerns about support and infrastructure.

No matter your tech stack or target audience, a local API offers you a number of great advantages when connecting your existing desktop application with the cloud. Here are just a few reasons why a local API is the best choice for your business.

Build Flexible Application Architecture

Local APIs have access to individual application components (functions), which means that the delivery of services and information is more flexible. The API can be adapted to work with your application, rather than you having to make changes -- sometimes drastic -- to the code base.

With the right API service, you can even turn the existing functions in your application into a web API without needing to write additional code.

Quickly Build a Web API Platform

With local APIs, an application layer can be created to distribute information and services to new audiences, which can be personalized to create custom user experiences.

The best local APIs allow external users to connect with and extract data from them via multiple protocols -- including JSON-RPC, SOAP, REST and Apache Thrift -- via either a TCP/IP socket or an HTTP connection. This allows developers to work with the technologies they feel most comfortable with, such as Microsoft developers and SOAP, or web developers and JSON.

Access Data Securely from Anywhere

A local API allows your on-premise data to be securely accessible to every user or to whoever requires access to it on an as-needed basis. Your on-premise database and applications can remain secure under your own lock and key, while the necessary aspects of your business logic can be exposed to users beyond your firewall.

Via an encrypted SSH connection, your data can get into the hands of those who need it, while remaining out of the hands of those who shouldn't have access. You can also further protect your information with features such as the OAuth 2 authorization framework, API keys and role-based access control for limiting access only to authorized users.

Adapt to Technology Landscape

Having a well-formed, up-to-date API in place for your business data is an invaluable asset. APIs help you anticipate and deal with changes much better than any ad-hoc solution you might come up with. Data migration is supported more easily, and the information is reviewed more closely.

Thanks to the adaptability of APIs, you can get up and running with a variety of use cases quickly while still leaving space for any new additions. In sum, APIs make service provision more flexible.

Final Thoughts

Mertech's new product offering, Thriftly.io lets users connect to your local API using any major protocol, letting you be flexible without having to make changes to the underlying code base. Legacy Windows-based applications can be easily repurposed and migrated into the cloud with their code and business logic intact. With Thriftly, companies can easily build hybrid cloud solutions for their existing desktop applications without rewriting their source code or core business logic.

 
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