Integration middleware is a third-party platform that facilitates communication and data exchange between disparate systems and applications through their APIs, offering services like data transformation, routing, message queuing, and application connectivity. This technology helps organizations manage complexity, reduce costs, increase agility, ensure data consistency, and scale operations effectively. However, traditional middleware solutions can be expensive, complex to manage, and may struggle with performance and cloud integration challenges. Modern alternatives like Unified API solutions, such as those offered by Merge, provide scalable integration options by aggregating multiple integrations through a single API, allowing for easier management and maintenance. These platforms are instrumental in industries like recruiting, lead management, e-commerce, healthcare, banking, and supply chain management, where seamless integration is crucial for operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.