API Copyright Would Restrict API Aggregation

There are over 8100 in the ProgrammableWeb API directory. We are at a point where aggregating common, popular APIs into single, standardized interfaces is emerging as the next evolution in web and mobile app development.

To support common patterns in web and mobile app development like user management, object storage, image management, social integration and analytics, API aggregation platforms are emerging. Examples of aggregation of APIs are across business sectors like:

• Singly for Personal Data
• Adigami for Analytics Data
• FedAPI for Government Data

These API aggregation platforms are looking to take multiple API resources and aggregate them into a single, common API interface that developers can use across multiple platforms. These common API interfaces may possess the best features across aggregated APIs as well as introducing in new design features.

API copyright would prevent API aggregators from emulating the best API design patterns in the industry. Even if individual API owners didn’t enforce copyright and the industry sent signals that APIs were able to be copryrighted, it would prevent aggregators from standardizing access across common APIs.

The aggregation of common API resources such as images, provides opportunities for increasing developer efficiency when building web and mobile applications. Consider accessing images across multiple platforms such as Flickr, Facebook, Instagram and Picasa--each API could take days to integrate with, and API aggregators like Singly allow integrate with multiple image platforms in single interface.

API copyright would prevent the reuse and remix of common or successful API patterns within a space. API aggregation would either not exist in this environment or be unable to emulate existing, successful characteristics of APIs and create new, possibly inferior approaches.

API aggregation and interoperability are essential ingredients in the fast growing API economy, where elements like cloud computing, cloud storage, social integration, photos, videos and other resources need to flow, exchange and aggregate freely. Copyright would restrict the organic aggregation needed across all business sectors.

Other reading on this subject:

• Universal APIs
• Deltacloud Universal Cloud API
• Unified APIs or API Standards, The Race is On
• Adigami Aggregates Analytics APIs Into Single Interface
• Introducing the Next Generation of Communication Using APIs
• Efficient Social API Development with Singly

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