The Summer 2018 - State of API Usage Report delves into the complexities of assessing API performance by providing benchmarks based on billions of API calls, aiding engineers in determining the normal range for various metrics. The report highlights the dominance of NodeJS in API development while noting the rising popularity of Python, fueled by machine learning advancements. Despite the buzz around GraphQL, developer adoption has been cautious, although new GraphQL APIs are increasing. Moesif, an advanced API analytics platform, offers insights into various performance metrics, such as latency and connection management, and provides tools to enhance debugging and observability. The report also discusses the implications of using practices like Keep Alive for server communication, emphasizing the trade-offs between latency reduction and resource waste.