What are API Integration Tools?

Published on by Hayley Brown

Updated on

API integration has become a must-have for a modern business strategy and has become an essential ingredient for business growth.

But how is API integration achieved? 

Well, API integration tools are here to help organisations achieve their API and integration goals. We take a look at some API integration tools and why they would be great assets for your business. 

What is the meaning of API integration?

API integration means the connection between two or more applications via their APIs, Salesforce and Google Sheets for instance. This connection allows for the exchange or request of data that can be received back into your application or another desired location. 

API integration is one way of helping to scale your organisation and grow your SaaS product. As well as aid business processes and enhance customer experience. 

What are API integration tools?

In short, API integration tools help SaaS teams build, manage and publish APIs without adding to their developer backlog.

API Integration Tools enable users to oversee, regulate, and generate revenue from their application programming interfaces (APIs) within a secure development setting. These API management tools aid administrators in monitoring the stability of connections, traffic flow, error occurrences, and security measures for the APIs published by their team. 

During the post-production stage of an API’s lifecycle, the company’s IT department utilises this tool rather than relying on developers once the API design has been successfully implemented.

Afterwards, practically all upkeep, surveillance, and administration linked to the API itself take place within the API management software. Certain API marketplace solutions include resources for handling APIs, but these resources are not primarily concerned with managing an API; instead, they prioritize selecting external APIs that can enhance a specific product.

API Integration Tool Features

API integration solutions offer a range of features and tools that users can use to enhance their integrations and add additional customisation and functionality.

Typical tools and features include:

  • Data mapping and transformation
  • Low code drag and drop tools
  • Workflow automation
  • Error handling
  • Security Protocols

API Integration Tool Example

Ultimately, API integration tools help an organisation adopt rapid application development which results in reduced development time and costs. As well as reduce the burden of manual API lifecycle management. 

Instead of building API-based integrations from scratch, organisations can upskill existing employees and create a pool of Citizen Integrators. These employees can develop integrations that solve a customer’s specific use case and improve data consolidation. As a result, they can create a range of common use case integrations that customers can quickly deploy. 

So, they can build workflows like this with low-code tools:

API integration workflow example demonstrating how an IoT device can send data from application to application based on a Yes or No response.

We are hosting a range of webinars discussing embedded iPaaS, integration building and more.

Check out the full list on our dedicated page.

API Integration Tools will help improve your business

They will help improve your business because the tools will introduce standardisation. As well as streamline operations, improve data accuracy and provide a unified customer view. Resulting in improved customer experience.

So, when you are researching which solution make sure you understand and articulate your use case to the provider. They can demonstrate how the API integration tool would be suitable with live demonstrations and walkthroughs. 

For instance, if you want to expand your SaaS product’s integration functionality, look for an embeddable option, or if you need to integrate your internal processes a “traditional” iPaaS would make more sense.

If you do need an embeddable API integration tool you’ve come to the right place. At Cyclr we specialise in helping you develop native integrations with hundreds of SaaS apps to expand your product’s integrations. 

We’d love to show you around, book a demo!

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About Author

Avatar for Hayley Brown

Hayley Brown

Joined Cyclr in 2020 after working in marketing teams in the eCommerce and education industries. She graduated from Sussex University and has a keen interest in graphic design and content writing. Follow Hayley on LinkedIn

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