Using APIs allows companies to harness the power of modern connectivity to help them expand their global reach, transfer data, and improve integration. Although APIs enable businesses to simplify processes and enhance usability, they can use some optimization strategies to improve performance. If you plan to use APIs or consider using an API provider, try using these tips to help make the processes optimized to get the most out of them. You get better performance, a better user experience, and fewer instances of error results and latency. Read on to discover essential tips for optimizing an API.
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Reduce Payloads
Overly heavy payloads of data slow down processes and reduce performance. Reducing payloads relies on using compressing using Gzip for example. This strategy minimizes the download size and increases the upload speed and the creation process. You can also use Deflate compression on a Web API. It’s accomplished on the IIS level or custom action filter.
Improve Network Speed
To optimize your API, you need to have a fast and reliable network. Unfortunately, if your network is slow, you don’t get the best performance from an API. It’s important to ensure you use a top network provider and hosts to make ensure your network is running at optimal speeds. Consider running additional tasks on separate threads to prevent requests from going through and slowing processes down. You can also use CDNs for faster requests.
Prevent Slowdowns and Accidental Executions
There are times within DDoS issues that aren’t necessarily real attacks but accidental when a developer uses an API to execute a loop on a local application. Try measuring transactions and monitor how many occur per IP address or even per token. This rate-limiting approach cuts excessive requests that slow down the process and serves to eliminate accidental executions.
API caching
Avoid issues with database queries by using a cached version of a request. It helps improve API processes and improve performance. When you store commonly used data only, the newest updates are used and then travel to the origin server. This process reduces latency, decreases server loads, hides network failures while using less bandwidth.
API caching is simple to implement when companies work with a managed API services provider with a range of optimization tools and features built-in. DreamFactory offers plenty of flexibility and integration possibilities for the best experience with reusable APIs.
Pagination
To optimize APIs, you can use pagination, which creates batches of content from multiple responses. This optimization works to improve responses while preserving data transferred to the user. It allows for standardization, segmentation, and limitations—additional benefits including reducing the complexity of results and improve the overall user experience.
Filtering
An often overlooked tactic, filtering plays an important part in optimizing an API. If you want to limit the results of parameters from a requester, you can use filtering. You can identify which resources are given to the user and can provide measurable optimization. You also get a better overall user experience providing only the request issues and let the entries process run better.
Prevent Under-Fetching and Over-Fetching
To optimize APIs, you’ll want to ensure you’re not providing too much information because of being overly broad with a request or using an inadequate request. If you’re over-fetching, sometimes the end result isn’t useable and makes no sense. If you’re under-fetching, you don’t have complete results or error codes. This appears sometimes from scaled-out API, resulting in a single endpoint: the best way to prevent these issues is proper planning, scaling, and architecture.
A business can help eliminate this issue with appropriate API management services like those provided by DreamFactory. They ensure the proper use protocols are in place and get a better result by helping plan and create ideal architecture.
Use Ranges
Restrict results by giving structure created by users. You can define the start and end to provide only elements available within those ranges. This optimization allows you to limit the response package. Using this technique allows for the processing of data on the server rather than the client. Setting ranges helps reduce the instance of receiving unwanted or unusable data while also reducing the load on the API, which provides better results.
The Importance of Optimizing APIs
Optimization strategies help by providing intended results and smoother performance. They accomplish this feat by preventing latency, improving results, and even assist with overall processes. If used in an optimized way, APIs provide a better user experience and help transfer data and access information efficiently.
This optimization is crucial for businesses to compete in today’s technology-driven environments. Businesses of all sizes and from all industries are are refining their approach to optimizing an API in order to provide better experiences for a range of stakeholders. Keep in mind that optimization is simple when you team up with a top API management provider like DreamFactory with the capability and options to propel the business to new heights.
Generate a full-featured,documented, and secure REST API in minutes.
Sign up for our free 14 day hosted trial to learn how.
About DreamFactory
DreamFactory is a top-performing API generation and management platform with the capabilities and options necessary to power today’s modern business processes. Many businesses in several markets currently use APIs to improve their capabilities and reach globally.
There’s a wealth of benefits for companies deciding to incorporate this technology to help them streamline business and give them more control with fewer issues related to data and connectivity. Get in touch with the DreamFactory team today to see how optimizing an API can work for you.
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Key Questions to Ask When Building an API