Running a Successful API Program: Best Practices and Challenges Shazni Nazeer, Director - Solutions Architecture at WSO2 apidays Helsinki & North 2025 - APIs for Innovation, Intelligence, and Impact June 3 & 4, 2025 ------ Check out our conferences at https://www.apidays.global/ Do you want to sponsor or talk at one of our conferences? https://apidays.typeform.com/to/ILJeAaV8 Learn more on APIscene, the global media made by the community for the community: https://www.apiscene.io Explore the API ecosystem with the API Landscape: https://apilandscape.apiscene.io/

1. Running a Successful API Program:
Best Practices, Challenges and Pitfalls
Shazni Nazeer
Director - Solutions Architecture
WSO2

2. API enables Modernization

3. 3
State of APIs
https://www.postman.com/state-of-api/2024/api-use-and-discovery/
https://www.postman.com/state-of-api/2024/api-use-and-discovery/
https://www.f5.com/pdf/reports/f5-office-of-the-cto-report-continuous-api-sprawl.pdf

4. 4
Why do we need an API Program?

5. 5
Five stage “API Program” maturity model

6. 6
Types of APIs

7. 7
API type usage
https://www.postman.com/state-of-api/2024/api-use-and-discovery/

8. Start with Private APIs…

9. Business Benefits of
Private APIs
Helps start
the API
thinking
Fuels the
modernization
journey
Reduce time
to market
Improved
internal
collaboratio
n
Allows you to
experiment
and make
mistakes
Helps build
foundational
capabilities
9

10. 10
● Private (Internal) APIs
● APIs designed for data
exchange
● Simple API Lifecycle
● Iterative Development
● Manual deployment
● Typically SOAP or REST
APIs to start with
● No security or traffic
control
● No API Management
● Minimal Documentation
API Program -> Stage 1 (Data Exchange
Stage)

11. 11
Best Practices for Data Exchange stage

12. 12
● CI/CD
● Right API Architectural Style
● Distributed Domain Driven
Design (DDD)
⦿ Business oriented
Domain APIs
● Helps structure teams
● Design time Governance
⦿ Design documents
⦿ Coding standards
API Program -> Stage 2 (Integration Stage)

13. 13
API Architectural Styles
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/navigating-api-landscape-top-8-architectural-styles-2023-patel/

14. 14
Best Practices on Integration stage

15. 15
● Partner APIs
⦿ B2B Integration, B2B API
Management
● Inclusion of API Management
⦿ Publisher Portal
⦿ Developer Portal
● Comprehensive API Documentation
● Strong API Security
● Identity and Access Management (IAM)
for seamless authentication
● API Metrics and API throttling
● Clean Experience APIs
● Contract first over code first
● Proper API Lifecycle Management
API Program -> Stage 3 (Collaboration Stage)

16. 16
Best Practices on Collaboration stage

17. 17
Business Benefits of
Partner APIs
Helps build
trust
in channel
business
relationships
Eases
partners to
manage their
supply chain
Helps
expand
business
into new
markets
Helps
partners build
customer-
facing apps
Helps scale
partner
onboarding
Continuity
in Business
Supply Chain

18. 18
● Public APIs
● Best use of infrastructure
● Cost savings
● Organization and ecosystem-wise
collaboration
● Clean robust architecture
⦿ Cell-Based Architecture (CBA)
● Inclusion of iPaaS and/or API SaaS
products
● Multiple API Gateways
● Faster GTM
API Program -> Stage 4 (Value Realization Stage)

19. 19
Cell-Based Architecture
https://github.com/wso2/reference-architecture/blob/master/reference-architecture-cell-based.md

20. 20
Best Practices on Value Realization stage

21. 21
● API Marketplace
● Collaborative Community
● Wider API adoption
● Revenue generation through
API Monetization
● AI assisted API design,
Implementation, testing,
documentation and SDK
generation
● Stronger API Governance
● Robust Observability
● Internal Developer Platform
(IDevP) - Platform(less)
API Program -> Stage 5 (Business Transformation Stage)

22. 22
Going Platformless

23. 23
Best Practices on Business Transformation stage

24. 24
Common Challenges and Pitfalls

25. 25
● A structured API Program is needed to reap benefits from APIs
● Define a suitable API Program maturity model for your organization
● Start with private internal APIs
● Choose the right API Architectural Model
● Partner APIs are crucial for building strong business relationships
● APIs aren’t just important for technical aspects, but also for business value
propositions
● APIs are not just technologies, but ‘Products’ as well
● Successful API programs can result in positive business transformation
Key Takeaways

26. Thank You!