The 12 Best Notification APIs for Apps
Blog post from Stream
Modern applications rely heavily on timely and effective notifications to engage users, and building a robust notification system from scratch can be complex due to factors like real-time delivery and cross-channel coordination. Notification APIs provide a solution by offering programmable interfaces that deliver alerts across various channels such as push notifications, emails, SMS, and chat mentions, often handling the complexities of queuing, routing, retries, and compliance. These APIs range from simple "send-only" options like Firebase Cloud Messaging and Amazon SNS, which focus on raw delivery, to more comprehensive platforms like Stream, Knock, and Courier, which offer advanced features including workflow orchestration, user preferences, and analytics. The choice between APIs and platforms depends on the specific needs of an app, such as whether it requires a real-time in-app notification feed, cross-channel messaging, or is more focused on lifecycle marketing and audience segmentation. Each tool has its strengths and limitations, and selecting the right one involves aligning it with the desired user experience and the team's workflow.