APIs can be used to achieve a wide variety of goals, whether in the creation of public-facing apps and services or in the development of internal tools that will only be used by employees.
Here is a look at how these benefits manifest themselves in the contest of boosting growth and creating continuity within a business.
Enhancing communication & collaboration
Modern organizations rely on software to help staff work on projects and share ideas regardless of where they are, what device they are using and even what language they speak.
This usually relies on a combination of different ecosystems, with interoperability between apps only made possible thanks to APIs. For example, with the unofficial WhatsApp API Python may be the programming language of choice for app integration, in which case the application programming interface will act as the perfect means of taking text conversations from this popular IM platform and making them available as part of a workflow within a different software package.
Businesses can empower employees through APIs, making them better able to work flexibly and adapt to remain productive regardless of the challenges that may arise. This means that even in times of crisis, growth can still be achieved and continuity preserved without overburdening in-house systems.
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Efficiency & cost-effectiveness
In most cases the primary reason that a business will choose to harness APIs is that they want to gain access to the information and functionality afforded by a third party service rather than having to create this themselves.
Chances are, if you have need of a particular capability that could augment a mission-critical app, it has already been made by someone else. An API not only lets you integrate this efficiently and in the smallest possible timeframe, but also without the usual expenses involved in developing, testing and maintaining the service using your own resources.
From a continuity perspective, this also gives organizations the ability to rely on a third party to provide access to features that are vital to daily operations. This means that there is less reliance on on-site hardware and software, in addition to a degree of device agnosticism that again allows employees to work flexibly if this appeals.
Automation
Another of the most important benefits brought about by integrating APIs into your business is that you can use them to automate processes which would normally sap time if completed manually.
This can take a wide variety of forms depending on the industry you occupy, whether it is route calculation and tracking in a logistics context or stock management and capacity assessment in warehousing.
APIs can even handle cutting edge concepts like facial recognition and biometric scanning for physical security and other high end features, so you are truly spoilt for choice.
Ultimately the right combination of APIs will free you from the shackles of legacy IT systems and software solutions, giving your business the impetus and ability to grow while also limiting threats to continuity.
