We've teamed up with James Higginbotham of LaunchAny and Keith Casey of Casey Software to bring you their hand-curated weekly newsletter for API developers. You can subscribe to the API Developer Weekly email newsletter here.
Also, be sure to check out James's and Keith's new book A Practical Approach to API Design on Leanpub. On to the links!
Hot Topics
Why Uber—and whatever is coming next—is really about the rise of APIs
"Uber hasn’t become a massive hit because all of a sudden consumers decided they’d like a more convenient form of personal transportation. Or because Uber was smart enough to tap into this consumer desire. It’s because technology has emerged that freed Uber from having to be an expert on absolutely everything in its app."
Microsoft extends Xbox Music API availability
"Microsoft is extending Xbox Music API availability for third-party developers. The company has opened access to the platform's catalogue of 38 million tracks, including artist images and artwork as well as extra information."
APIs in the Fast Lane
A look at the security and data ownership issues around the connected car and how API management may be part of the solution.
API first: Shifting how government delivers services
"Government agencies can rely on an API tier to provide a simple interface to complex internal systems, future-proofing government investment and making it easy to deliver services on a new device or interface."
The house that Google built: what the Nest API means for you
A look at the Nest API from a developer, consumer, and security perspective.
The Business of APIs
Ecommerce APIs: The What the Why and the How to Make Money
A nice introduction to the various business models and strategies around APIs and how companies such as Amazon, Tesco, Sears, Best Buy, and Pearson Education are using them to their advantage.
Should Enterprises Keep Their External APIs Public or Restricted?
"The issue is not whether enterprises should embrace API initiatives. However, as APIs mature, specific patterns are evolving, which require enterprises to take a serious look at their business model and decide whether to keep their external APIs open or restricted to partners."
Marketing your Public API
"So you’ve decided to publish a public API to enhance your business. That’s great news; however, it is just the first step if you’re serious about reaping the full benefits."
6 Fun Facts About The Internet of Things
CloudTweaks presents 6 interesting facts about the Internet of Things, including a variety of links for further reading.
Microsoft chooses open approach for the Internet of Things
A look at some of the interoperability issues regarding the Internet of Things, including the varying views of Microsoft, Google, and Apple.
API Development
APIs Change: Don't get caught off guard
API Changelog monitors the docs of APIs you depend on and sends you notifications when they change.
Dave Winer: Comparing APIs
Dave discusses his experiences working with the Twitter and Facebook APIs, which one was easier, and what API companies need to do to ensure developers gain early successes.
Dev Tools: Runscope’s Traffic Inspector
A look into Runscope's traffic inspector by Matthew Heitzenroder of Orchestrate. The article includes a walk-through of a typical session with Runscope while covering the core features.
Designing a RESTful API with Python and Flask
An overview of REST, the Flask framework, and how to put Python and Flask to work to build your next API.
How can I implement a RESTful Progress Indicator?
An answered question on Stack Overview on designing an API to manage a long-running task that is typically visualized by a progress indicator within a user interface.
Cloud Watch (from Cloud Developer Weekly Newsletter)
Google Cloud DataFlow – A Game Changer?
Companies have pumped billions into Hadoop to grow the MapReduce framework. However, Google abandonded it years ago for the same reasons many are doing so now. Learn about what Google is doing now and how they are building a data analytics service called DataFlow.
Spark Restarts the Data Processing Race
Gartner looks at Apache Spark and the reasons for the rapid rate of adoption compared to Hadoop.
Amazon Web Services’ Achilles heel: Complexity
Amazon is trying to take on complexity of its own cloud by deploying the new t2 class "burstable" instances, but complexity still lies ahead.
Heroku makes WebSocket support generally available
"WebSockets provide bi-directional and full-duplex channels, allowing you to create applications with support for streaming, flexible protocols, and persistent connections."
pg:diagnose introduced in Heroku Toolbelt v3.9.0
"pg:diagnose runs a number of useful health and diagnostic checks on your Heroku Postgres database and generates a single report to help you quickly find and solve problems."
Why you don't need to run SSHD in your Docker containers
A look at why SSHD isn't needed and how to accomplish daily tasks using Docker itself rather than remote SSH commands.
Carving it up – Microservices, Monoliths, & Conway’s Law
A look at the recent Microservices architecture movement and the impact, both positive and negative, that it can have on the business.
Want to share something?
As always, if you want to chat, share a link, or make a suggestion, feel free to drop us a quick note using Twitter (@launchany and @caseysoftware) or by emailing us at: james@launchany.com.