5 API Trends to Look Forward to in 2023

While APIs have been around us for some time, businesses now finally realize the hidden potential of APIs. Today, APIs are apparent as powerful solutions that enable organizations to seamlessly integrate technologies and lead digital transformation initiatives. From facilitating financial transactions and marketing automation to creating connected customer experiences, APIs are becoming the backbone of every sector.

The API market is evolving rapidly, owing to the increased usage of APIs. Multiple factors, such as customer trends, industry-specific changes, and economic conditions, continue to redefine how organizations utilize APIs. So, it is crucial for organizations to keep an eye out for new trends to ensure their existing API architecture is updated.

The Top 5 API Trends of 2023

Here are the top five API trends to watch in 2023!

1.   The Rise in Popularity of Newer API Architectures

While REST- and HTTP-based services continue to remain the most popular API architecture styles, their usage has slightly decreased as newer architectures such as event-driven architectures, GraphQL, and gRPC are growing in popularity.

This growth in usage can be attributed to GraphQL’s flexibility to handle synchronous and asynchronous client-server interactions, which GraphQL can utilize to connect disparate data sources faster. Similarly, gRPC is an excellent API format for internal microservices and faster two-way data exchange that can occur between the client and server via a single connection.

API Architecture Style Users (2022 State of the API Report)

The graph above shows the user’s percentage of each API architecture style. The API industry is evolving as businesses like Shopify, Facebook, and eBay, begin implementing the newest API formats, such as GraphQL, AsyncAPI, and gRPC. We anticipate a future trend that REST APIs won’t be completely replaced but will be combined with other newer API architecture styles to improve connectivity and data exchange.

Learn about using an effective API strategy in 2024

2.   More Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning APIs

Due to their automated nature, predictive capabilities, and substantial contribution to improving business efficiency, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have emerged as ground-breaking technologies.

Despite recognizing the significance of AI and ML, many businesses need more organizational capability or purchasing power to establish AI/ML development and integration divisions. Mainly because integrating AI/ML features is difficult, expensive, and requires lots of resources.

This issue is now being addressed by new API projects that offer critical AI and ML functionalities such as speech recognition, chatbots, predictive analytics, customer service automation tools, etc. These AI and ML-based APIs can be incorporated much more easily and economically than setting up in-house facilities by utilizing low-code and no-code platforms such as Astera API Management.

In 2023, more businesses will start using AI or ML technologies because they are becoming more and more accessible via APIs.

3.   API-as-a-Product

API-as-a-product is an emerging trend that has been gaining popularity. It’s a software-as-a-Service that monetizes specialized capabilities and functionalities of APIs. This method of using APIs treats them more like products rather than just a way for software to communicate with one another.

Over the last few years, the number of organizations adopting the API as a product strategy has significantly increased, with renowned organizations such as Stripe, Twilio, Mailchimp, and eBay following the API as a Product Strategy.

This trend is expected to continue to grow in 2023 as well. So, now is the ideal time to adopt the API as a product trend and generate revenue from your APIs.

4.   Increased API Security Standards and Protocols

The importance of API security is increasing as the number of APIs rises. This will only become increasingly important as APIs become the primary method of making data and services accessible to third parties.

The 2022 State of API Security study shows a 681% increase in API attacks. This statistic signals the requirement for forward-thinking enterprises to put in place and enforce security controls that go beyond the application and log-in layers. Access control and access management must be applied to every API request, event, and message to accomplish strong API Security.

The application of AI and ML technology can also be used to manage the provisioning and control of APIs based on consumption statistics. This is currently less prevalent in the industry, but it’s seen as a valuable emerging tool. For instance, if suspicious connections or consumption patterns are found using machine learning, then API Management solutions can be used to limit or revoke API access while also generating alarms to explore the behavior.

AI and ML-enabled security tools also improve API security’s ability to detect and stop high-volume cyberattacks. Both technologies enable statistic security checks that are more effective at detecting attacks on data. Static security checks can catch far more than basic rules and API getaways by verifying requests and searching for hazardous content patterns within API calls and messages.

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5.   APIs for All

Effectively managing a growing number of APIs and enabling an enterprise-wide API-first strategy requires equipping the entire technical and non-technical users with the tools they need to maximize API utility and success.

Low-code and no-code API management platforms such as Astera API Management are gaining popularity because they enable companies to cut costs and time spent on development. Users of these platforms can construct apps by dragging and dropping components on a visual interface. Additionally, pre-built templates are frequently included with low-code and no-code platforms, which can be leveraged to accelerate development. This is a crucial element that enables organizations to modify their APIs regardless of the programming experience of the team members.

No-code platforms will be more crucial in 2023 due to the continued growth of API adoption across industries. Businesses should use these platforms to scale new APIs to achieve development lifecycle efficiency.

Get Onboard With These API Trends With Astera API Management

Now that you’re aware of the most recent API trends, it’s time to consider how to incorporate them into your company. Fortunately, API management tools like Astera API Management can assist you in this regard.

Astera API Management is a code-free unified platform that simplifies the entire API lifecycle management with its automated features and a visual drag-and-drop interface. Astera API Management enables you to:

• Consume APIs for easy data integrations and application mashups
• Design and test your own APIs in a drag-and-drop environment
• Deploy APIs with one click on-premises, in the cloud, or in a hybrid environment
• Secure APIs through user access and tokenization
• Manage all your enterprise APIs using a single unified platform
• Monitor API usage and performance with a live dashboard to get business insights

Built on the principles of usability, simplicity, and automation, our solution can save as much as 80% of the time it takes to develop and manage APIs and integrations.

If you’re looking to adopt a company-wide API strategy, Astera API Management can help you get started. Schedule a demo for Astera API Management today and learn more about our unified code-free API lifecycle management solution.