SoundCloud Platform Do:s and Don't:s at How To Web 2011
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Eric Wahlforss, CTO of SoundCloud, discusses dos and don'ts for building an API platform. He emphasizes keeping APIs simple (KISS), prioritizing developer experience through great documentation and communication, engaging the developer community, and being willing to fail and iterate. APIs should empower users by allowing them to use and share their own data, extend applications, and drive the network economy through a hyper division of labor.
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SoundCloud Platform Do:s and Don't:s at How To Web 2011
- 1. SoundCloud Platform Do:s and Don’t:s Eric Wahlforss CTO/SoundCloud How To Web Bucharest 2011
- 4. SoundCloud Site & Apps Platform
- 5. What is an API? Application Programming Interface ≈ Platform Computers talking to each other Exchange and manipulation of data Essential part of the web’s success Adam Smith’s wet dream
- 6. Hyper division of labour... ... and a network economy Adam Smith (1723-1790)
- 8. Pro Tools 10 avid.com
- 9. Cakewalk SONAR X1 cakewalk.com/products/sonar
- 10. Thinglink thinglink.com
- 11. Onesheet onesheet.com
- 12. Radio Free stockholm.musichackday.org
- 13. Why API? Allow people to use their own data... ... empower people–everybody loves talking about stuff that empowers them ... ... which spreads the word about your service Developer community–the ultimate power users Extend your application–solve niche use cases Conceptual clarity–the essence of your service Inspired by http://strange.corante.com/2006/02/08/fowa-ten-reasons-why-you-need-to-build-an-api-shaun-inman and http://www.readwriteweb.com/cloud/2010/08/the-new-api-movement-may.php
- 14. API Do:s and Don’t:s
- 15. Do KISS http://37signals.com/svn/posts/3018-api-design-for-humans
- 16. “Time to integration” Effort in days Plain vanilla API API Wrapper Great docs Sharekit Time 7 days 4 days 3 days 1 day
- 17. Do think about scalability @lenberg
- 18. Do watch your metrics
- 19. Do communicate MOST IMPORTANT STEP FOR BUILD PRODUCT IS BUILD PRODUCT. SECOND MOST IMPORTANT IS BUILD PERSONALITY FOR PRODUCT. http://www.avc.com/a_vc/2011/09/minimum-viable-personality.html
- 20. Do write kick-ass docs
- 21. Do talk about shiny new things!
- 22. Don’t pay people
- 23. Do eat your own dogfood
- 24. Don’t change Inspired by http://www.readwriteweb.com/cloud/2010/08/the-new-api-movement-may.php
- 25. Do engage the community http://mulqueeny.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/whats-the-point-of-a-hack-day/
- 27. Do fail Do iterate Do fail Do iterate Do fail Do iterate
- 28. Thanks! eric@soundcloud.com twitter.com/ericw soundcloud.com/eric soundcloud.com/forss