Using Low-Code Environments to Build APIs

A popular alternative to manual coding, low-code environments are emerging as powerful conduits for rapid development. API development is often viewed as an intricate science defined by its granularity. However, low code approaches are challenging these notions by offering automations to wide swaths of developers.

At the turn of the millennium, low-code development emerged as a solution for companies prioritizing agile application creation. Though it was born roughly 20 years ago, modern enhancements have helped these platforms improve substantially. 

Visual Development Takes Center Stage

Conventionally, APIs are hand coded – this typically involves an editor or integrated development environment (IDE). While this approach offers the highest degree of control during development, it’s more complex and requires more time. Furthermore, these traditional coding methods aren’t exactly visually compelling. Hand coding is black and white, plain vanilla with perhaps a dash of chocolate. IDEs provide blank canvases, and developers are the artists of their own applications.

Low-code environments are decidedly visual, bringing usability to the forefront. They present developers with a graphical user interface (GUI) which guides the API-creation process. You may be familiar with Terminal or the Command Line. These tools are mostly reserved for intermediate and advanced users of Mac and Windows, allowing manual changes and direct OS executions. If we instead elect to open Settings and make changes, for example, we’re working with a GUI. These options are displayed as icons, buttons, and toggles that manipulate OS-level code upon interaction. Low code works in this same way.

You might’ve also noticed the rise of website builders, such as Squarespace, Wix, and others. These are low code—arguably no code—environments that prioritize user experience over ultimate control. 

Advantages of Low Code

Let’s first imagine you’re part of a development team. Everyone wears multiple hats and is tasked with contributing to project deliverables. Many of those responsibilities revolve around application development, but there may be snags—not every developer possesses equal coding ability. Custom API builds can be finicky, meaning only select members of your team can maintain sensitive API components. 

Low-code environments make the development process more accessible. Visual elements are inherently more approachable than manual coding. Since plugins and manipulations generate code automatically, developers don’t have to be coding wizards. Training becomes less necessary, saving both time and money. With the right environment, components can be recycled between projects without needing to rebuild.

APIs power components and microservices, which combine to form a functional application. Low-code environments offer many plug-and-play features and outside services. Developers can choose from this bevvy of integrations to power their applications. This makes API setup remarkably simple. Webhooks unlock data transfers between services, returning rich and valuable information to the client via API calls. 

JSON and XML are common data-transport formats when creating low-code APIs. These should be familiar to most developers, further reducing the learning curve. Those developing SOAP and REST APIs will feel comfortable with low code, as environments accommodate both protocols.

Quality Control and Authentication

Troubleshooting and debugging tools are standard with many low-code environments, streamlining quality control. Though developers may not hand code often, API maintenance is still easy. Additionally, these components can be siloed during maintenance, protecting other components from harm during updates.

When incorporating multiple services that aren’t necessarily co-dependent, it’s easier to guard against showstopping bugs. Issues that crop up won’t cripple your entire API, nor will breaking changes. In fact, many low-code environments will verify changes in real time to ensure they’re production ready.

Access control is a prime consideration. Most environments offer support for authentication tokens, including OAuth 2.0 authorization, though this isn’t universal.

Drawbacks of Low Code

However, no development environment is perfect. Low code does come with some concerns, specifically regarding deployment. Skeptics assert that packaged deployment can be error-prone, especially when these API deployments are rapid. While teams can get products out the door with relative ease, this efficiency focus can overshadow proper testing.

When enterprise players delve into these low-code methods without proper care, stability and security can become problematic.

Third-party integrations are often walled off, making it difficult to finely tune your API. You also don’t control how these components are updated over time. These complexities are magnified when customer data is involved. Infrastructure deployment is another limitation, since IT departments sacrifice control for convenience. For these reasons, detractors of low code question how scalable such solutions truly are.

Migrating Between Environments

The plug-and-play nature of low code, while extremely useful, can be troublesome with select projects. Say you’re looking to implement a very specific feature set. When choosing your coding environment, it’s crucial you find one with suitable plugins. This is more a question of proper research, though it’s worth noting some environments can be limiting.

Say you choose a low-code vendor as the foundation for your new API. Many of these providers offer proprietary solutions and unique feature sets, many of which can be beneficial. Down the road, however, you may be forced to migrate your API to a new environment. Application changes are often required as growth and maturity occur. Dependency on vendor-specific tools may hinder your flexibility.

Database Support

True to their focus on automation, most low-code environments will convert data into useful models. SQL query generation is another benefit. For applications that handle massive amounts of categorized data, this is a huge benefit. Some environments let you pull data from external databases as well, making APIs more capable than ever. A low-code API is adept at telling applications and databases what to retrieve. Consequently, low-code environments are decidedly more declarative in their programming.

Developers can often create data models via drag and drop, rather than defining specific endpoints and objects by hand. This simplifies the process immensely. Code is automatically generated, and attributes are properly accounted for.

Low code plays well with many popular database programs, such as MongoDB, MySQL, Postgres, Azure, and more.

What are some popular low-code builders?

As expected, there are a variety of great environments offered. These vary from open source to vendor sponsored. We’ll highlight some better-known options below:

DreamFactory

DreamFactory is a self-described API-as-a-service platform with an open-source foundation. The low-code service offers three tiers which bring different feature sets to the table. DreamFactory touts its simple API creation without code, paired with stout security.

The environment offers essential tentpole features, such automated REST and SQL/NoSQL integrations, granular API limiting, data-source linking, flexible business logic scripting, and more. SOAP and REST conversions are supported, as is automatic documentation and remote administration.

Deployd

Similar to DreamFactory, Deployd is an open-source platform designed for application development in mere minutes. Deployd is advantageous due to its lack of boilerplate code, library of plugins, easy management tools, and one-step deployment via Node.js and MongoDB.

Deployd API builds are modular and flexible, giving users access to 17,000 Node modules. Deployd listens in real time for calls and other API events, to avoid excess polling. It supports flexible validation, advanced client queries, and is built upon a JavaScript foundation.

Backendless

Backendless is built upon a foundation of speed, and is designed for low code, scalable microservices. Specializing in REST APIs, it features rich management tools and analytics to keep your APIs functional. Developers can use Backendless’ online service, work locally, or take advantage of cloud-based resources.

Instant API generation and inspections are built in. However, the power of the platform rests with its bring-your-own-service approach. Developers can integrate tools they’re comfortable with, and which will serve their projects best. Role-based security is baked in, and the company touts its code-to-service capability.

Who and what benefit most from low code?

Now more than ever, low code is becoming a force to be reckoned with in the API realm. Environments are becoming increasingly feature rich, and offer tangible benefits to both individuals and teams. Low code is prepared to tackle the rigors of API development, and we only expect existing (and upcoming) services to rectify its minor shortcomings. Projects big and small can benefit, though developers will certainly need to do their homework before jumping in. The built-in automation is simply too useful to dismiss.

We recommend low code for newer projects, though migrating established projects is possible under the right conditions. Low code really shines from square one due to its relative simplicity. Building projects in a time-saving way is something developers will immediately appreciate.

Low-code environments follow a plug-and-play approach. There is a plethora of services available from platform to platform, alleviating the need to code custom solutions. We expect low code to swell in popularity, and welcome its fixes for longstanding development hurdles.