Developers are shifting from code-first to API-first thinking when it comes to software development, according to the newly released 2024 State of the API Report from API platform provider Postman.
Released October 15, the sixth-annual report is based on a survey of more than 5,600 developers and API professionals, combined with data observed on the Postman API platform serving more than 35 million users and 500,000 organizations. The survey found that APIs are no longer an afterthought but the foundation of development, with between 26 and 50 APIs powering the average application. According to the report, 74% of respondents report being “API first,” as opposed to 66% in 2023. The API-first paradigm prioritizes API design, streamlining integration, and improving efficiency across teams, Postman said.
This year’s survey also found an increase in the percentage of developers who could produce an API within a week, with the number jumping from 47% last year to 63% this year. Further, API-first organizations recover from API failures faster, often within an hour, the report says.
