We'll explore how 4 forces will impact the API market over the next two to four years, and how hybrid- and multi-cloud, open source, developer-led adoption, and cloud-native application architecture are driving profound changes in the API market.
3. Trends
● “API-first” and “API-centric” are becoming the preferred architectures for all
APIs—not just external APIs
● Agile and decentralized DevOps practices are becoming more widespread
● Hybrid and multi-cloud are becoming real: the datacenter as a private cloud
has become a peer
● The “managed API model” is preferred but it must become pervasive
4. Remote services Shared services Managed APIs Brokered services
Integration-centric
Proprietary protocols
System-of-record access
Client/Server
Laggards
Integration-centric
Complex open protocols
Service reuse
Integration & SOA
Late majority
Application-centric
Simple open protocols
Service exposure
API economy
Early majority
Application-centric
Scalable open protocols
Service ecosystems
PaaS & cloud-native
Innovators
Architecture
Technology
Purpose
Focus
Current Users
Market evolution & focus
Integration vendors
API management vendors
PaaS vendors
5. Four transformative forces for API management
1.Multi-cloud and hybrid
2.Open source
3.Developer-led
4.Cloud-native application architecture
6. Multi-cloud & hybrid
● APIs are everywhere—on-prem, cloud providers, SaaS
● APIs need a common management model
● API management needs to be decentralized to work with
the complete API landscape
7. Open source
● Basic API management is a well-understood problem
● OSS micro-gateways are becoming common
● OSS API management needs a strong ecosystem and
community
8. Developer-led
● Developers now understand APIs must be managed
● Developer experience and lightweight architectures
● Developers are the customers for API management (as
much as—if not more so—than IT)
9. Cloud-native platforms
● Developers are using PaaS and container platforms
including Cloud Foundry and Kubernetes
● Cloud-native platforms mediate service & API usage
● API management must evolve to meet the needs of
developers using these platforms