Best practices for building a unified API

Building a unified API for product integrations can enhance development speed and minimize maintenance challenges, but it requires careful consideration and implementation of best practices. Unified APIs are most effective when supporting similar core functionalities across multiple APIs with comparable data models, and it is recommended to start with a focused scope and expand gradually. Using an internal data model for the unified API ensures consistency and reduces complexity, while concept mapping remains a critical challenge. Not all integrations should be unified; for widely used systems, API-specific integrations may be more beneficial. Planning for extensibility, such as handling nullable properties and schema evolution, is crucial, along with maintaining a centralized unification logic. A robust technical foundation, including observability, data validation, and handling common challenges like rate limits and token refreshes, is essential for long-term success. While unified APIs can streamline development and maintenance, they are not a one-size-fits-all solution for integration challenges.