API-as-a-Product

API-as-a-Product is a term commonly used to identify APIs as products. Instead of viewing an API as a technical solution to integrate systems, you recognize that APIs are themselves products. Products exist to serve users but also to generate value for companies. In this chapter, you’ll learn how to identify business value for your API product by employing different monetization models to generate revenue. However, sometimes users need support, and you’ll learn how that can become a cost you can’t escape.

You’ll begin the chapter by learning about the inherent business value that an API product can bring to a company. The chapter continues by analyzing the different options for monetizing an API product and generating revenue. You’ll then see why support and documentation are fundamental to the success of an API product. By the end of the chapter, you’ll have learned about API security aspects such as logging, monitoring...