eBook Released: The API Lifecycle Bill Doerrfeld June 25, 2015 We are very excited to announce the release of our fourth eBook: “The API Lifecycle.” Visit our new dedicated eBooks page today to grab your FREE copy.Introducing a FREE eBook for download: The API Lifecycle The API Lifecycle presents an agile process for managing the life of a web API – the secret sauce to help establish quality standards for all API and microservice providers. Table of Contents PrefaceEnvisioning The Entire API LifecycleAnalysis StageDevelopment StageOperations StageRetirement StageChoose Your Adventure:I Analysis Stage1. Preparing Your API Business Strategy1.1 Basic Things to Consider1.2 Determine If An API Is Right For Your Specific Situation1.3 Perform Market Research1.4 Align Your API With Business Objectives1.5 Select Your API Business Plan2. Monetization Models2.1 How Can You Measure If Your API Is Profitable?2.2 API Monetization Trick #1: Charge Directly for an API, by Call or Subscription2.3 API Monetization Trick #2: Using API Access As A Premium Upsell Opportunity2.4 API Monetization Trick #3: Drive Revenue-Generating Activities Through Your API2.5 API Monetization Trick #4: Increase Distribution Through Strategic Partners2.6 API Monetization Trick #5: Improve Operational Efficiency and Decrease Time to Market2.7 Mix, Match, Measure Models of API Monetization2.8 Your API Monetization Checklist3. Understanding Your Target API Consumer3.1 A Response to Increased Consumer Diversity3.2 Why Create a Developer “Persona”?3.3 The Developer Brain3.4 But Plenty of Other People Are Interested in APIs, Too!3.5 Expanding our Portal: End User Evangelism3.6 Varying Industry Backgrounds3.7 API Use Cases3.8 Lessen The Corporate Branding3.9 Developer Experience3.10 Build it And They Will _____II Development Stage4. Constructing Your API4.1 Things to Consider During Implementation4.2 API Management4.3 Maintenance5. 12 Design Tips5.1 Summarizing API Design TipsIII Operations Stage6. Marketing Your API6.1 Running Your API As a Product6.2 Marketing Your API6.3 Using Different Traction Channels6.4 Supporting Your API7. The Importance of API Metrics7.1 What Is Metric Analysis?7.2 Metric Analysis Tools and Services7.3 Example — The Tokyo Traffic Problem7.4 The Traffic Problem Solution7.5 The Traffic Problem and APIs7.6 Metrics Throughout the Lifecycle7.7 A Real-World Failure – Heartbleed7.8 A Real-World Success – The FedEx ShipAPI7.9 Security, Effectiveness, and CommerceIV Retirement Stage8. A History of Major Public API Retirements8.1 What Does Retirement Mean?8.2 Retirement Reason #1: Lack of 3rd Party Developer Innovation8.3 Retirement Reason #2: Opposing Financial Incentive, Competition8.4 Retirement Reason #3: Changes in Technology & Consolidating Internal Services8.5 Retirement Reason #4: Versioning8.6 Retirement Reason #5: Security Concern9. Preparing For a Deprecation9.1 Rippling Effects9.2 Preparing For Developer ReactionV The Agile Mindset10. What Makes an Agile API?10.1 What is Agile?10.2 Conclusion11. Third Party ToolsNordic APIs ResourcesEndnotesPricing The book is FREE to download. However, if you would like to support Nordic APIs, you can purchase the eBook through Leanpub and name your price.SummaryConsumed by third party products and fueled by iterative feedback and market validation, the web API product lifecycle can be more complex than typical SaaS offerings. We at Nordic APIs have boiled down the common API lifecycle into 4 main phases, with the goal to help an API practitioner stabilize their API against internal and external factors, encouraging small revisions or large pivoting to reach long-term project goals.Over the last few months we’ve covered the API product cycle from many different angles. We explored all stages with a 5 part blog series, and hosted a World Tour to see what international industry experts had to say on the theme. Throughout our ongoing work in the API space we’ve discovered a recurring trend: unsuccessful APIs struggle both in fostering interest as well as creating a sustainable service. In contrast, successful APIs are well-attended, treated as a product with a multi-iterative lifecycle. So we thought; what exactly are the key ingredients to their successes?The API Lifecycle handbook depicts a holistic model that treats a web API as a constantly evolving business and product. From conception through deprecation, we outline market research, business strategy, development, operations, promotion, and other components vital for successfully creating and maintaining an API.Penned by the Nordic APIs team and inspired by the cumulative experience from API consultants Andreas Krohn and Travis Spencer, our eBook expands the concepts we’ve explored on the blog, and grounds theories in tips collected during our 2015 World Tour – events which brought API industry experts together to discuss different stages of the API Lifecycle. We also interviewed leading web API figures to perform additional research, and peppered it all with a bit of our own insights to create a comprehensive handbook of tips for a healthy and profitable web API.Permanent eBook PageWe have published a dedicated eBook page to organize our eBook releases and direct-download links. Keep on the lookout for a new release next month – “Securing the API Stronghold“ – a deep dive into API security. As always, we welcome feedback in the comments below, or on our Twitter, Linkedin, or Google+ pages.Please enjoy The API Lifecycle, and let us know how we can improve. Be sure to join the Nordic APIs newsletter for updates, and follow us for news on upcoming events.Thank you to all our participants, followers, and contributors that have made this release possible. Please enjoy The API Lifecycle!