In the developer tool landscape, innovation is rapid, leading to fragmentation, presenting opportunities and challenges. To succeed, companies must integrate their product's core functionality into tools developers commonly use, such as IDEs or terminals, reducing friction and enhancing developer velocity and satisfaction. Integrating into existing environments also enables API-first thinking, which reduces friction, future-proofs for new platforms, promotes customization, and fosters community loyalty. By meeting developers where they are, rather than requiring them to conform to the company's ideals, companies can leverage standards like OpenAPI to create clear APIs that enable ecosystem contributions, embed functionality directly in UIs developers spend time in, and reduce context switching. This approach also enables new features such as AI interactions and ties into open-source initiatives, allowing any developer to create supporting tools. Ultimately, API-first thinking future-proofs companies for ongoing waves of innovation by empowering their user community, sharing ownership, and meeting developers where they are.