What is API First? And why does it matter?

"API First" is a principle that is often mentioned, and it also oftentimes is characterized as something with a rather technical slant, saying that APIs should be first before starting implementation work on them. That is one way to look at it, and certainly not a bad way. But it's not enough.

A different way to look at "API First" is one that takes it as a clear message to first think about the value that is delivered through an API, and to make sure that APIs first and foremost focus on delivering value and making the value easy to consume. In such a picture, the focus is on creating the best digital building blocks possible, and one important aspect of this is to make sure that every capability in an organization is accessible through a good API.

With that value-based focus, "API First" becomes a mission to re-imagine an organization in terms of its digital building blocks, with APIs as the "digital surface" that represent the digital building blocks and make them usable. Focusing on APIs then means focusing on the value that digital building blocks can deliver, and good APIs then are a way to make sure that there always is a focus on the value in a digital ecosystem.

00:00 Introduction
01:11 Digital Focus
03:27 Digital Products
06:50 Product as API
10:47 Wrapping it up

[bukitsorrento]

Thank you for this video.. So much value, it's underrated by the algorithm.

[lautaroparada]

I guess I've found a digital gem with your channel. Thanks for the great explanation, Erik.

[yaronskp]

It's very well defined. I wish there was an example to wrap it up in a practical way but all in all very impressive.