Top 10 API Integration Tools for 2024

In this day and age of rapid advancement of technology, a three-letter acronym is always talked about, i.e., the API. Any business and growing startups we see around us use APIs. To reduce the time spent integrating the APIs of other applications, many API integration tools are available.

They are now easy to use and can automate complex workflows. More and more businesses want to use them, as they can handle the intricate tasks of integration themselves. In this article, we will discuss what an API is, what an API integration tool is why we need it, and the 10 best API integration tools that developers and businesses can use in 2024.

What is an API?

An API (application programming interface) is something that helps two different applications communicate with each other and exchange information. A navigation app would probably be using the APIs of Google Maps instead of developing their map. Because of APIs, developers do not need to reinvent the wheel.

A popular real-life example of an API is a waiter in a restaurant who helps the customer and the chef communicate with each other.

The customer orders food, and the waiter takes the order and presents it to the chef, who in turn prepares the food and shares it with the waiter. In the end, the waiter takes the food from the chef and presents it to the customer.

Here, the waiter is the API, while the customer can be thought of as a client and the chef as the server.

What is API integration?

API integration is the connection of two or more applications that can send data back and forth in real-time. API integration helps to:

• Automate a lot of tasks.
• Decreased development time
• Get real-time data.
• Build standardization

An example of API integration is posting an update to the social media platforms from a third-party application. Suppose a developer has built a task management application where the user can finish a task and post an update about it on Instagram. Instead of going to Instagram to post an update about the task, the developer can use the APIs of the social media platform, which will help the users easily share the content without manually going to Instagram and posting an update.

Why do we need an API integration tool?

An API integration tool connects multiple applications and services using APIs while providing many more features such as data insights, error handling, authentication, etc. It is extremely helpful because of the following reasons:

• APIs are complex. APIs generally have a lot of protocols and data formats that need to be followed and looked at. An API integration tool hides this complexity away.
• Complex workflow: Integrating an API is a relatively complex task, as developers are sometimes required to call multiple APIs or perform an API request only when some data is there. An API integration tool provides a visual workflow to make this process easier.

Top 10 API Integration Tools for 2024

API integration tools can help businesses manage their APIs and provide seamless integration with other services. Let’s take a look at some of the best API integration tools available for developers to use.

1. IBM API Connect

IBM API Connect is an API lifecycle management tool that handles the creation, management, and monetization of APIs. It offers API development, where developers can build and scale APIs rapidly by writing less code. It also provides IBM DataPower Gateway, which can be used to manage cybersecurity risks across multi-cloud environments and log API traffic.

This integration tool protects services across all endpoints that the developers work with, as it has a trustworthy microservices architecture. In addition, it provides a user interface to manage the APIs and services. With AI capabilities and automation, developers can test the APIs in this integration tool to enhance productivity.

2. MuleSoft Anypoint Platform

Anypoint Platform by MuleSoft is used for APIs and their integration, along with automation. It provides developers with the capabilities to build, deploy, operate, and secure their APIs. APIs can be deployed in any environment with Anypoint Flex Gateway. The fully managed infrastructure of MuleSoft can ensure 99.99% of uptime.

This tool is compliant with various protocols and guidelines, such as GDPR and SOC 2. Therefore, it helps secure the integrations automatically. Furthermore, this tool lets developers test APIs and other integrations and, as a result, enhances the development experience. This is partly possible as it provides pre-built assets available in the MuleSoft ecosystem.

3. Zapier

Zapier is actually an automation tool that requires no coding, and it lets users connect their apps into automated workflows. Zapier provides about 6,000+ app integrations, and it does it by using the APIs of those applications. Users can utilize Zapier to automate tasks such as sharing a new post on a social media platform, adding events to Google Calendar, etc.

Zapier is widely used for automating social media posts, marketing campaigns, and employee onboarding. A workflow in Zapier requires a trigger and an action, and that workflow can be initiated by simply dragging and dropping the apps required for integration. That integration, in turn, can be converted into automation.

4. DreamFactory

DreamFactory offers pre-built API connections with multiple apps, which helps developers integrate authentication, microservices, and other web applications and services into new apps. It has the ability to run in both cloud and on-premises environments. It includes a drag-and-drop UI to build API connections and provides RBAC (role-based access control) to protect the sharing of information.

Developers can generate neatly documented REST APIs in a matter of minutes with the help of a REST API generation tool provided by DreamFactory. It does not compromise on data security, as it is compliant with GDPR, ISO, HIPAA, etc. Moreover, it supports OAuth, Okta, Active Directory, and other enterprise solutions for authentication and authorization.

5. Cyclr

Cyclr is an embedded iPaaS that standardizes and scales integrations by providing a white-labeled native integration platform, which in turn grows the companies. It supports connectivity with more than 500 APIs and offers a low-code GUI. It provides an abstraction layer between APIs, which reduces development and maintenance efforts. It achieves this by using simple drag-and-drop elements in the builder and deploying them with just a few clicks.

Cyclr offers multiple hosting options, such as shared infrastructure hosting and private cloud infrastructure hosting. The integrations include full versioning, so as the use cases increase, the developers can build on top of them. All in all, Cyclr simplifies integration delivery and increases new revenue opportunities.

6. Boomi

Boomi is a data integration PaaS (platform-as-a-service) that provides connections with different apps using pre-built integration and supports API management, API design, and API development. To start an integration, users can choose from a large library of pre-built application connectors. It eliminates manual upgrade time and costs related to legacy middleware.

Boomi is self-managed, meaning it automatically updates the platform without causing any issues with integration processes. The users can upload test versions of integrations as well. The integrations with Boomi can be deployed in the cloud or on-premises. Any common errors appearing in the user interface are quickly resolved by the support team at Boomi and the community.

7. Tray

Powered by AI, Tray.io is an iPaaS to automate business workflows across different systems. It provides pre-built and custom connectors and templates for a variety of businesses. It offers error handling, parallel processing, and logic based on conditions to optimize efficiency.

It is important to note that Tray is a low-code platform, and this can help a lot of businesses as it can remove most of the complexities. Additionally, it offers flexible deployment options and a friendly user interface, which businesses can use to streamline their operations.

8. Jitterbit

Jitterbit is a low-code and cloud-native iPaaS (integration platform as a service) and it connects data, applications, and other business processes. It provides hundreds of pre-built integrations and management tools. It allows users to sync data whenever they want.

Developers can create and publish developer-friendly APIs, and this tool lets them perform API lifecycle management tasks. Jitterbit is best to use when there are use cases involving both ETL and API tasks. For users, the platform may seem to have a higher learning curve compared to other API integration tools.

9. Cleo

Cleo is another API integration tool that provides seamless, real-time data integration to improve supply chain collaboration. It offers detailed insights into data by presenting role-based dashboards to users. With Cleo, customers can manage third-party API integrations and scale their services to meet user demands.

Cleo provides an engaging and user-friendly interface with a dashboard, messages, and reports. This tool has built-in API support for both presenting and consuming APIs, which gives end-to-end visibility. Cleo also transforms batch processing into real-time and offers API equivalency for Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).

10. Celigo

Celigo is an iPaaS that has Celigo Marketplace, which contains thousands of integration applications, connectors, and templates that the users can use. It is a user-friendly platform that allows businesses to create and adjust their integrations without being dependent on development resources.

Modern UX has been used in this tool, which is also filled with AI tools, enabling developers to create complex API integrations. With complete integration lifecycle management, developers can build and test integrations that help them follow best practices for managing and monitoring changes. Lastly, Celigo features API management as well, where developers can develop, secure, and document their APIs.

Conclusion

API integration tools are extremely helpful in order to build a successful business, as they take care of the complex tasks so that developers can focus on the required challenges. This article discussed what an API is, what an API integration tool is and why we need it, and the top 10 API integration tools that developers and businesses can use in 2024.

There is no doubt that there are some of the best API integration tools out there, but businesses should select the most optimal one. That is possible only when the client requirements are well understood and the business objectives are properly defined.