Why Integrations Matter
Why Integrations Matter — and Why You Should Start with the Use Case, Not the Code
When it comes to integrating with an API, many technical teams rush headfirst into implementation. They look at the endpoints, copy some example curl commands, and begin coding before fully understanding what they’re trying to achieve.
But here's the truth: an API is not just a technical tool — it's a means to create business value.
APIs are the building blocks that allow systems to talk to each other — whether it's machines on a shop floor sharing data with a CMMS, or a business system triggering automated actions based on real-world events. The magic of integration isn’t in the code — it's in what it enables.
Before diving into endpoints and parameters, ask yourself:
- What real-world problem are we trying to solve?
- What manual process do we want to automate?
- What insights or decisions should this integration help us unlock?
- Who will use the data — and what should they be able to do with it?
These questions help define your use case — the scenario where integration delivers actual value. Once the use case is clear, the technical choices become obvious: which APIs to call, what data to send, how often to sync, and what success looks like.
A great integration isn’t one that uses all the API endpoints — it’s one that solves the right problem in the simplest, most reliable way.
So if you’re just getting started: don’t open your code editor yet. Start with your use case. Talk to the end users. Map out the process. Then — and only then — start wiring the systems together.