11 API governance practices

A centralized team solution?

The solution to these structural problems could be a centralized team that builds APIs for all business lines. But this causes another problem: it slows down new API development.

Models such as Team Topologies are influencing software design and API teams. In this model, a centralized platform team helps build standard tools, including style guides and an internal developer portal such as the open source backstage.io. With access to resources that support consistent API design, engineering teams can work at pace to create and deploy new APIs. The Team Topologies model also proposes creating an "enabling team"-made up of engineers from across the enterprise or from within the stream-aligned team and platform team-to facilitate the use of the style guide and other governance processes while building new APIs.

Adopting API governance practices

API governance offers a set of tools to centralize the building of APIs. Drawing on centralized resources, engineering teams can create APIs using a consistent design and set of standards that match their priorities. Teams build APIs as they see fit, so each business or product team can remain autonomous.

Establishing governance processes can take some work. But after these processes are documented and defined, they can be automated-incorporated into CI/CD pipelines for example. After the process is set up, you can monitor governance through observability tools. This reduces governance oversight and allows innovation at pace, without compromising quality or robust API design. Security and regulatory requirements will be embedded into API designs. It also helps a financial services institution's API ecosystem grow, creating new customer acquisition channels and new revenue streams.