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Minimum Viable API Architecture |
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One of the key elements in Agile methodologies is Minimum Viable Product. MVP is a product with just enough features to satisfy early customers and to provide feedback for future development. Minumum Viable Architecture has similar idea, create a product by prototyping and building just enough; the sooner the consumers get to use the API the faster real requirements are received. Minimum Viable Architecture is a set of design principles which is very suitable for APIs, microservices and API management as it is designed for different stages of growth and maturity. In general, the MVA approach can be used for any architecture design process, but here we have adopted it to APIs, microservices and API management specifically. Building APIs with Agile methods is balancing the minimal required product with minimal required architecture.
Phases of Minimum Viable Architecture are:
- Prototyping - typically when building a new API
- Goal: Zero code or tech products used (or only existing), minimal budget, still possibility to change plans radically
- Building Just enough - implementation - typically when building a new API for 1-2 API consumers
- Goal: Nothing is built "Just in Case", customer needs can evolve while building, as small budget as possible
- Scaling - typically when existing API needs to serve a growing number of consumers
- Goal: Scale your architecture with the growing business
Each Phase of MVAA goes thru the entire APIOps® Cycle. Development from here on is cyclic and iterative. All APIOps® Cycles are descibed per MVAA Phase in Minumum Viable API Architecture Phases
- Make sure the API Canvas has been created using the APIOps® Cycles templates
- Collect architecture requirements using the APIOps® Cycles templates