Reliable API Integration & Development Company

What Is an ASP.NET Web API Developer? An ASP.NET Web API developer is a software engineer who specializes in building backend web services and RESTful APIs using Microsoft's ASP.NET Core framework.  These developers design and maintain HTTPS-based endpoints that handle requests, process data, and communicate with databases or external systems.  They make sure that web APIs are secure, scalable, and efficient, enabling seamless integration with front-end applications, mobile apps, or third-party services.  Responsibilities of an ASP.NET Web API Developer Areas of responsibility for an ASP.NET Web API developer typically include designing API architecture, writing clean C# code for controllers and business logic, interfacing with databases (often via ORMs like Entity Framework), and implementing security measures (authentication, authorization) for the API.  They also document endpoints (often using tools like Swagger/OpenAPI), ensure performance optimizations, and debug or troubleshoot issues in the API.  API Design and Development Designing RESTful API endpoints and writing scalable, clean code in C# using ASP.NET Web API. This involves defining routes, HTTPS methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE), and implementing the server-side logic for each endpoint. Collaboration Working closely with in-house team members and front-end developers to integrate the API with user interfaces and other systems. They translate project requirements into technical solutions, often collaborating with product managers or clients to clarify needs. Database Interaction Implementing data storage and retrieval by writing efficient database queries or using frameworks like Entity Framework. An ASP.NET API developer designs data models and interacts with SQL or NoSQL databases to persist and fetch information as required. Testing and Debugging Conducting thorough testing (unit tests, integration tests) and debugging of API methods to ensure they meet functionality and performance standards. They also monitor and optimize existing APIs, fixing bugs and improving response times for better user experience. Security and Maintenance Implementing security best practices – for example, handling authentication tokens, enforcing authorization rules, and validating inputs to protect against threats.  They are responsible for error handling and reliability, ensuring the API remains robust and updating it over time (API versioning, adding new features or improvements). These responsibilities illustrate that ASP.NET Web API developers are not only coding new endpoints but also designing the overall API architecture, ensuring quality and security, and maintaining the API service throughout its lifecycle.  They must stay up-to-date with the latest ASP.NET Core features and web development trends to continuously enhance the API's performance and capabilities. ASP.NET Web API Developer Services ASP.NET Web API developers provide end-to-end solutions to expose your application's functionality to web, mobile, and partner applications in a secure and efficient manner.  Such services cover the full spectrum of API planning, implementation, integration, and support.  Custom ASP.NET Web API Development Building tailor-made RESTful APIs from scratch using ASP.NET Core Web API to meet specific business needs.  This involves creating high-performing endpoints and business logic that integrate with both modern and legacy systems, with an emphasis on security and scalability. API Integration Services Connecting and integrating existing APIs (internal or third-party) with your application ecosystem.  Experienced ASP.NET API developers can seamlessly integrate custom or pre-built APIs to enable data exchange between software systems, improving workflow automation and productivity. API Testing & QA Rigorously testing APIs for functionality, performance, security, and compatibility.  This includes automated testing of endpoints, load testing for high traffic, and ensuring that data is transferred securely and accurately between clients and the server. API Compliance & Optimization Ensuring APIs adhere to industry standards and best practices.  Developers can update or refactor your APIs to comply with the latest protocols (RESTful conventions, OAuth2 security, etc.), improve efficiency, and meet regulatory policies in your domain. API Versioning and Documentation Managing the evolution of your APIs by implementing versioning strategies. This service ensures new features can be added without breaking existing clients, complete with clear documentation (e.g., using Swagger/OpenAPI) so that other developers understand how to consume the API. API Support & Maintenance Ongoing maintenance services to monitor API performance, fix issues, and apply updates or enhancements. Many providers offer 24/7 support to promptly handle technical queries or incidents, thereby keeping the API reliable and up-to-date. When You Should Hire an ASP.NET Web API Developer Hire an ASP.NET Web API developer when your business requires custom, scalable, and secure web services – whether it's to build new API-driven products, integrate systems, or improve an existing backend.  Building New Web/Mobile Applications with a Separate Backend If you are developing a single-page web app or mobile app that requires a dedicated backend API, an ASP.NET Web API developer can design the RESTful services to power your application's features. This is especially true for startups building an MVP or rapidly scaling – a dedicated API developer helps accelerate product development. Enterprise Integration Projects When your organization needs to integrate heterogeneous systems (CRM, ERP, databases, third-party services), hire a Web API developer to create custom APIs or middleware to securely connect systems and enable data exchange. Modernizing Legacy Systems If you have legacy Microsoft stack applications (e.g., older ASP.NET or desktop apps) and plan to modernize by adding a Web API layer, an ASP.NET API specialist is needed. They know how to encapsulate legacy functionality into RESTful endpoints and possibly migrate to ASP.NET Core for cross-platform support. High-Demand or Complex Web Services Projects that must handle high traffic or complex data processing (such as fintech, healthcare, or real-time analytics apps) benefit from a skilled ASP.NET Web API developer. ASP.NET is known for high performance and security, and a knowledgeable developer can ensure your API scales to demand while following industry security standards. If your company's technology stack is already Microsoft-centric (.NET, Azure, SQL Server), an ASP.NET Web API developer will seamlessly fit into the tech environment and leverage frameworks and tools your team already uses (Visual Studio, Azure DevOps, etc.). When You Should Not Hire an ASP.NET Web API Developer For Small, Simple Projects If your project is small in scope and well-defined, such as a simple website or a minimal feature update, you might not need a dedicated Web API developer. In such cases, a generalist developer or an existing team member could handle the work without the overhead of hiring an API specialist.  For example, a basic informational website that doesn't require a separate backend API can be built with traditional web frameworks or off-the-shelf solutions. When Off-the-Shelf Solutions Suffice If there is already a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) or third-party service that meets your needs, building a custom ASP.NET Web API might be unnecessary. If you need basic CRUD data storage and you could use a backend-as-a-service or a low-code platform, hiring an ASP.NET developer to reinvent that wheel may not be cost-effective. How Much Does It Cost to Hire an ASP.NET Web API Developer? The cost to hire an ASP.NET Web API developer can vary widely based on factors like the developer's experience, location, and engagement model (full-time employee, contractor, or outsourced resource). In general, you should consider both salary (or hourly rate) and ancillary costs (like benefits or vendor fees).  Regional Salary Differences Location significantly impacts cost. For example, in North America, a .NET developer's salary is high – the average U.S. .NET developer earns around $125,000 per year (roughly $60–$70/hour) and senior specialists can command over $130k.  In contrast, regions like Eastern Europe, salaries are slightly lower (averaging around $60k–$90k annually).  These differences mean hiring locally in the US/UK can cost 2 times more than hiring an equally skilled developer from an offshore firm in Eastern Europe. Hourly and Freelance Rates If you hire contractors or freelancers, rates are often quoted hourly. On platforms like Upwork, ASP.NET freelance developers typically charge around $80–$90/hour for highly experienced developers. Top-tier freelance networks (e.g., Toptal) or consultants may charge premium rates above $100/hour, especially for short-term engagements or specialized skills. Full-Time vs Contract Costs A full-time, in-house ASP.NET Web API developer entails not just salary but also benefits, taxes, and possibly training costs. A U.S. company hiring a developer at $100k/year might effectively pay 20–30% on top in benefits (health insurance, 401k, etc.). Contracting or outsourcing can avoid some of these overhead costs. For instance, outsourcing to a vendor in Eastern Europe on a "dedicated developer" model can save roughly 40% of the budget compared to U.S. in-house costs, since you pay a lower base rate and typically aren't covering perks and long-term benefits. Project-Based (Fixed) Costs If your plan is to pay a fixed price for a defined Web API project, the cost will depend on the scope. Small API projects (e.g., a simple data service with a few endpoints) might be quoted in the range of $5,000–$15,000.  Larger, enterprise API development could run into the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Always ensure that a fixed-price quote includes clear deliverables to avoid scope creep increasing the cost later. Challenges When Hiring an ASP.NET Web API Developer Talent Availability and Competition Skilled .NET developers (especially those strong in Web API development) are in high demand globally. Recent reports show that 70% of IT leaders are struggling to fill tech roles due to a global talent shortage – and experienced .NET specialists are among those hard-to-fill roles.  This means finding a top-notch ASP.NET Web API developer can be a time-consuming process, as you'll be competing with many other companies.  Senior developers often field multiple offers, driving up salary demands and requiring quick hiring decisions from employers. Verifying Technical Skill Sets The ASP.NET ecosystem is broad – a Web API developer might need knowledge of .NET Core, Entity Framework, async programming, cloud services, DevOps, and more. Not all candidates will have an up-to-date or comprehensive skill set, especially as ASP.NET Core evolves rapidly.  It's challenging for a non-technical hiring manager to assess proficiency in these areas. A risk here is hiring someone who claims to know Web API development but in practice isn't familiar with critical aspects (e.g., securing APIs, optimizing performance, or interfacing with modern Azure cloud components). If a developer is not truly knowledgeable in ASP.NET Web API, it can result in scalability issues, security flaws, and poor performance in your application. Overcoming this challenge requires rigorous technical interviews or trials, and sometimes external expertise to evaluate candidates. Lengthy Hiring Process & Losing Candidates Hiring a qualified Web API developer often involves multiple rounds of interviews (technical screenings, coding tests, system design interviews, etc.). This can make the process prolonged, and top candidates might get snapped up by other companies if your process is too slow.  For example, if your interview and decision cycle stretches over many weeks, an exceptional candidate may accept another offer in the meantime. Prolonged hiring processes are a risk in a competitive market – it's a challenge to thoroughly vet candidates while also moving fast enough to secure them. Onboarding and Retention Even after you hire an ASP.NET Web API developer, retaining them is a challenge. Highly skilled developers have plenty of opportunities and may jump ship if they feel stagnated or if another offer is more enticing.  The cost of replacing a key developer is high – not just recruitment cost but also lost productivity and knowledge. Employers need to consider retention strategies (engaging work, good culture, growth opportunities) to keep the talent they worked hard to hire.  Especially in outsourcing or remote dedicated team scenarios, keeping developers motivated and aligned with your project for the long term can be difficult if they feel disconnected. Communication and Time Zone Issues (for Offshore Hires) If you hire a remote or offshore ASP.NET developer (e.g., through nearshoring or an outsourcing firm), differences in language proficiency, work culture, or time zone can pose challenges.  Miscommunication can lead to misunderstandings in requirements, and time zone gaps might delay clarifications or progress (for instance, a day's lag in getting answers).  While many offshore collaborations work smoothly, you need to establish clear communication channels and possibly adjust work hours overlap to mitigate this issue.  It requires extra management attention to ensure an offshore developer is integrated and "in the loop" with your core team's processes. Factors for Success with a Dedicated ASP.NET Developer Engaging a dedicated ASP.NET Web API developer (for example, through an outsourcing firm like Belitsoft or a similar provider) can be highly effective, but certain factors will determine how successful the collaboration is.  Clear Project Goals and Requirements Before onboarding a dedicated developer, have a well-defined project scope or product vision. Ambiguity in what needs to be built can lead to confusion or wasted effort. Make sure your team provides detailed requirements (user stories, acceptance criteria) and continues to refine them with the developer.  Effective Communication and Transparency Treat a dedicated remote developer as an integrated part of your team. Set up regular check-ins (daily stand-ups, weekly demos) and use collaboration tools (Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, etc.) to stay in constant communication.  Leveraging task tracking tools and sharing progress openly keeps everyone on the same page. Using a tool like Jira with notifications can let you see when the developer completes tasks, and scheduled video calls can address issues promptly.  In-House Team Integration and Support One potential challenge with dedicated offshore developers is integration with your in-house staff. It's important that your internal team (managers, other developers, QA, etc.) welcomes and collaborates with the external developer.  Encourage a culture of inclusion – involve the dedicated ASP.NET developer in team meetings, planning sessions, and even informal team activities if possible.  By avoiding an "us vs. them" dynamic, you benefit from a cohesive extended team.  Proper Onboarding and Knowledge Transfer At the start of the engagement, invest time in onboarding the dedicated developer. Share with them all relevant documentation, existing codebase (if they are integrating or expanding it), and access to development environments.  The more context the developer has, the more proactively and intelligently they can work. If this is a replacement or addition to an existing team, facilitate knowledge transfer sessions with current developers. A thorough onboarding sets the foundation for the developer to contribute effectively sooner. Feedback and Adaptation Agile development works best with iterative feedback loops. For example, after a two-week sprint, review what the developer delivered in a sprint review meeting and discuss any improvements for the next sprint. This adaptability will help fine-tune the collaboration process and the product itself.  When a dedicated developer sees that feedback is taken constructively and acted upon, it encourages them to communicate openly and feel a sense of ownership in the project's success. Why Hire an ASP.NET Web API Developer from Belitsoft? Belitsoft is a well-established software development company with a specialization in .NET technologies, and there are several compelling reasons to consider them for your needs. Proven Track Record and Reputation Belitsoft has been in the software development business for around two decades and has built a solid reputation in the industry.  They have been recognized as a leading custom .NET development company – for instance, they are members of the Forbes Technology Council and have earned a 5-star rating on Gartner Peer Insights.  For a client, it means you're entrusting your project to an experienced team with a history of successful .NET projects. Deep .NET Expertise (Full-Stack Skills) By choosing Belitsoft, you gain access not just to ASP.NET Web API developers, but to a cross-functional .NET talent pool.  Their teams include architects, full-stack .NET engineers, QA testers, DevOps specialists, etc., who have collective expertise in the Microsoft ecosystem.  Belitsoft's developers are well-versed in the latest ASP.NET Core framework, cloud integrations (they are familiar with Azure services), and modern DevOps.  This means a developer from Belitsoft can draw on in-house experts for solving complex problems (like designing a cloud architecture or implementing advanced security), resulting in a more robust solution for you. Flexible Engagement Models & Scaling Belitsoft offers flexible engagement options, including dedicated developers/teams, Time & Material contracts, and fixed-price projects.  If you opt for a dedicated ASP.NET Web API developer or team from Belitsoft, you get the advantage of easy scaling. Belitsoft has demonstrated the ability to ramp up teams quickly – for example, they have scaled a dedicated team to over 100 software engineers and testers for a large cybersecurity project.  They can start a project with a small team and grow it as your needs expand, or conversely, adjust team size to match a changing scope.  Cost Savings with Eastern European Talent Belitsoft is headquartered in Eastern Europe and leverages talent from Eastern Europe, which is known for highly skilled developers at more affordable rates than the US or Western Europe.  They often mention clients can save 30-50% on development costs by hiring their ASP.NET developers, thanks to lower labor costs in their region combined with efficient processes. Importantly, these savings don't come at the expense of quality – Eastern European developers are well-regarded for strong technical education and work ethic.  Belitsoft's dedicated team model is transparent about pricing, so you see exactly what you pay developers and the overhead.  Client Involvement and Talent Selection Clients can personally interview and select the developers that will join their project from Belitsoft's pre-screened candidates. This means you have control over ensuring the developer's skills and communication fit your needs.  Belitsoft puts emphasis on retaining those developers for the long haul of your project – they have account managers and HR practices aimed at keeping the dedicated team stable and motivated.The knowledge stays within the team and you avoid high turnover disruptions. Industry Experience and Case Studies Belitsoft has a portfolio of successful projects across various industries (finance, healthcare, eLearning, etc.), which can inspire confidence that they understand domain-specific challenges.  For example, they have built data security solutions involving 100+ API integrations and undertaken modernization projects for large enterprises (including a Fortune 1000 company with a 15+ developer team).  If your project is in a regulated or complex industry, Belitsoft's prior experience in that area can be a significant advantage – they're likely familiar with compliance standards (like HIPAA for healthcare or GDPR for data privacy) and best practices relevant to your field. Comprehensive Support and Quality Assurance They adhere to high quality standards: code reviews, automated testing, and documentation are part of their workflow.  They also use Agile methodologies and modern tools (CI/CD, project management platforms) to ensure timely and iterative delivery.  Post-development, Belitsoft can assist with deployment, monitoring, and maintenance of your Web API. This end-to-end capability means less worry for your CTO and a smoother experience from development through production. Many companies looking to outsource .NET development find that Belitsoft offers the "safe pair of hands" needed for critical projects, backed by years of experience and client testimonials. Belitsoft's Engagement Models to Choose From Dedicated Developer This is Belitsoft's dedicated team model, where you hire one or more of Belitsoft's developers (e.g., an ASP.NET Web API developer) to work exclusively on your projects, as if they were your own employees.  You pay a transparent monthly fee that covers the developer's salary plus a fixed overhead (which includes things like office, equipment, management, and administrative support).  You get to select the team members and have direct control over their day-to-day tasks and priorities.  Belitsoft recommends this model for long-term collaborations (typically 1 year and beyond) or when you have an in-house team that needs augmenting with additional .NET experts.  The big advantages here are transparency and integration: you see how your money is spent (salaries are known) and the team operates closely with you, adapting to your processes. It's staff augmentation with Belitsoft handling HR and infrastructure. Companies often choose this model to decrease development costs by around 40% compared to local hiring while retaining full team control. Time and Material (T&M) Model Belitsoft offers a classic Time & Material engagement, where development work is billed by hourly (or daily/monthly) rates for the time spent. This model is suitable for projects where scope is not fully defined upfront or is expected to evolve.  You can start quickly under T&M – you don't need detailed specs, just give the first set of tasks and the team will begin, while you refine subsequent requirements in parallel.  Belitsoft typically works in Agile sprints under T&M, delivering incremental results. The key features are flexibility in scope and the ability to adjust the level of your involvement. You only pay for actual time spent, and you can scale the team's effort up or down as needed (e.g., add more developers for a few sprints, or reduce hours once major development winds down).  Belitsoft takes on things like sick leave or holiday coverage for its team in the agreed rate, so you're not charged when developers are off – you pay for productive hours only.  Clients who have some experience managing software projects often prefer T&M because it provides freedom to change requirements on the fly and start development without waiting for a full specification. Fixed Price Model For well-defined projects, Belitsoft offers a Fixed-Price contract option. In this model, you and Belitsoft would agree on a fixed budget and timeline for a specific scope of work.  You'll need to provide detailed requirements (often in the form of a Statement of Work or technical specifications). Belitsoft will evaluate these, possibly suggest adjustments, then commit to delivering exactly what's described for the agreed cost. This model is recommended for smaller projects, MVPs, or pilot projects where the goals are clear and unlikely to change.  The benefit to you is knowing the exact cost and deliverable – ideal if you have fixed budgets or need to compare vendors.  Belitsoft manages the execution and assumes the risk of meeting the deadlines and quality within that budget.  However, it's less flexible if you decide mid-way to add features. Typically any changes in scope would require a formal change request (possibly incurring additional cost or time). Belitsoft might suggest starting with a fixed-price pilot project to evaluate the collaboration, then moving to a more flexible model for subsequent phases once trust is established. When engaging with Belitsoft, they will help you choose from these models based on your specific case.  If you're a startup CTO with a new product idea but limited in-house developers, Belitsoft might suggest a Time & Material approach initially (so you can iterate quickly) or a Dedicated team model if you want to closely manage a remote team long-term.  If you're a CEO looking to develop a small module to integrate into an existing system, a Fixed price project might be ideal.

Why APIs Matter? API-based architecture is characterized by the abstraction of implementation detail. This means that developers can make quick changes, update, or replace components in the back end, and the consumers will not be impacted as the API contract does not change. Modern microservices architectures and service-oriented architectures lead to rising numbers of separate services. Those services may run simultaneously. Therefore, there is a necessity for developers to coordinate the processes and address the challenges of distributed communication. A variety of API protocols, including REST, gRPC, and GraphQL assist software developers in solving those issues. However, it is essential to know the differences between available options and how to choose the right solution for a particular business domain. APIs should be useful tools for DevOps, not a bottleneck or a deployment constraint. When Is the REST API the Right Choice? Deciding which API standard will be the right one to adopt involves answering the following questions: What are the other standards that the company has, if any? Is it possible to extend existing standards to external consumers? How are consumers impacted by not having a standard? At Belitsoft, we recommend choosing a standard that best suits the culture of the company and existing API formats. Our developers analyze the current situation and suggest custom API integration with third-party applications if necessary. For example, one of the Belitsoft clients working in the sphere of transportation management spent much time manually processing documents and addressing several applications to check the status of loads, handle insurance, etc. Our experts set the required API integrations with carrier marketplaces, onboarding services, load-tracking apps, accounting platforms, and others. The company automated its main workflows and improved customer service. REST APIs support both service-oriented and microservice-based architectures. REST APIs use HTTP, which makes them easy to understand and implement. REST was developed as a standard that describes how to interact with a system. For example, GET requests are used to get data, DELETE to remove data, and POST to add data. The client specifies what they want to interact with and the format of data that they expect in the response. Another characteristic of RESTful APIs is that they are language-agnostic. In combination with standard HTTP methods, it makes REST API an available and low-barrier entry option for both clients and servers. On the other hand, REST is not strictly typed. For example, the POST request can get data, add, modify, and delete, depending on how the handler of a particular request was implemented. That is why it sometimes brings confusion about what a particular query is used for. REST vs GraphQL As with REST, GraphQL works on top of the HTTP protocol and is fully supported by all browsers. That is why both API architecture styles are ideal when developing a web app with a necessity to interact with a backend service or integrate with third-party services. The main characteristics of GraphQL are the following: GraphQL is an open-source language used to get data for specific fields in a single request to the server. It decreases the number of requests to the server when these fields are stored in multiple entities. However, it requires the developer to know how to build a query correctly in order to get the necessary data. GraphQL offers a single version across all APIs. It means there is no need for complex management of multiple versions on the consumer side. GraphQL works best with data and services from a particular business domain. If you have many external, disparate APIs, GraphQL might not be the best choice as it will add complexity. REST vs gRPC Remote Procedure Call (RPC) APIs execute codes or functions of other processes. RPC APIs access internal systems and reveal the details to the user. REST APIs hide those details. gRPC is a developing open-source and high-performance RPC framework created by Google for communication between servers or services. Here are the main features of gRPC APIs: gRPC provides a faster exchange of messages between services, and the messages weigh less, which reduces the amount of data transported through the connection, thus freeing up the connection faster. The gRPC protocol is typed, i.e., developers create a special file describing all messages and types of data they will send and receive before the implementation. The downside is that modern browsers do not have full support for this protocol, so they usually use an API Gateway. The frontend sends a query to the API Gateway using the HTTP protocol (REST, GraphQL), and the uses gRPC to send messages to the required service to process the request. REST APIs are stateless, i.e. the requests contain all the necessary data and do not relate to previous interactions. gRPC APIs can be both stateless and stateful. It depends on the implementation. gRPC allows access to multiple individual functions, but it is not usually used to extend a resource model. REST APIs perform that. gRPC can be successfully used for high-traffic services and for the two services under tight producer control. Best Practices and Trade-Offs When business grows, it becomes necessary to adapt APIs to the changing environment. API versioning is a way to manage REST API alterations without affecting existing integrations. API Versioning Best Practices Release a new API version and deploy it in a new location. Legacy applications continue working with an old API version. It is okay for a consumer, as they upgrade to a new location and new API only if they demand new functionality. At the same time, the owner has to maintain all versions of the API and make timely corrections and bug fixes if it is required. Release a backwards compatible API version. In this situation, it becomes possible to add changes without affecting existing users. Consumers do not need to upgrade the system immediately. However, the downtime should be taken into consideration and the availability of both versions at the time of the upgrade. Even small bug fixes might cause serious issues. Break compatibility with an old API and ask consumers to upgrade the code. This scenario may bring unexpected interruptions in production. However, sometimes there is no opportunity to avoid compatibility problems with older versions. This is what happened in 2018 when the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) was introduced in Europe. The options mentioned above have advantages and disadvantages for both consumers and API owners. Software development firms like Belitsoft support the combination of those three options. To do that, we use a semantic versioning approach. What does it stand for? Semantic Versioning This approach is used in software development to manage versions. It assigns numbers to API releases and divides API versions into three groups. Major version: This one is non-compatible with the previous API. Consumers have to upgrade to a newer version. They are usually supported by a migration guide and careful monitoring. Minor version: It is a backwards compatible change with the old API version. Users do not have to change their code. Patch version: This version does not bring new features or changes to existing functionality. Developers fix bugs and errors with this version. API Lifecycle Discussing the API lifecycle with consumers is an important part of API development and integration. Clients understand what to expect if they know the stages that an API passes. A combination of semantic versioning and API lifecycle allows consumers to track the releases of the major APIs leaving minor and patch updates without their participation. Here are the stages of the API lifecycle according to the PayPal Standards: Planned: This stage is about discussing what you are going to build and what services this API should cover. Beta: It is the first version of the API to receive consumers’ feedback. Users start to integrate with a new API and provide their ideas for improving it. This stage allows developers to avoid building several major versions in the beginning. Live: At this stage, the API is in production. Any changes become versions. When a new version appears, the current API becomes deprecated. Deprecated: Such APIs are not developed any further, but they can be used. When a minor version appears, the API is deprecated only during the validation of the new version. When the new version is validated and compatible with all services, a minor one moves to retired. When a major version comes out, the previous one becomes the retired one. However, it does not happen at once, as consumers need time to migrate. Retired: The API is not accessible anymore. If you are looking for specialized API expertise, improved API quality, and a scalable API team, the Belitsoft software development company offers outsourced services to meet your expectations. Contact us today and we will discuss your project requirements.

What Is an API Gateway? An API gateway is located between a client and a set of backend services, which improves the integration between them. This is a tool that serves as the single entry point for the client. The client entering this point may be an application or device, e.g., a single-page application, a mobile application, an internal system, or a third-party service or system. Two elements of the API gateway are control and data planes. Those elements can be bundled together or deployed independently. The control plane serves as an interface where administrators interact with gateways and determine routes, policies, and necessary data. The data plane is the setting where the incoming requests are handled according to the rules of the control plane. It routes network traffic, uses security policies, and generates logs or measures for tracking. An API gateway applies policies for user authentication, request frequency limiting, and timeout/retry mechanisms. It also offers metrics, logs, and data to monitor performance, find troublesome issues, and analyze usage. Why Use an API Gateway? There are several key areas where API gateways become helpful. An Adapter and a Facade: Enhancing System Flexibility An API gateway provides an interface for engineers to interact with backend services. It should be flexible and understandable. All the parts of the system should be connected, but not heavily dependent on each other for the architects to be able to change some components without breaking the whole system. At the same time, the elements should serve a common goal. From the client’s perspective, they also use the API gateway as an interface to communicate with backend services. This way, an API gateway is like a facade that simplifies communication with the system. If the backend systems change, be it a location, architecture, or language, the API gateway adapts to those changes and clients do not feel the difference. Orchestrating Backend Services Sometimes it is necessary to gather the APIs of several backend services into a single client-facing API. It simplifies API consumption for frontend engineers, reduces the complexity of the backend, and improves request routing. A client may need to address several backend services. Doing this one by one is time-consuming. Orchestrating multiple calls to several independent backend APIs is faster and more convenient for a client. The results from backend services are gathered and transferred to a client in a single response. Defending from Security Threats An API gateway is the point of users’ first interaction with an API backend. Hackers can also be among those users. Huge enterprises typically have multiple security-focused measures such as web application firewalls (WAF), content delivery networks (CDN), dedicated demilitarised zones (DMZ), perimeter networks, etc. Smaller organizations also protect their API gateways with security-focused functionality. The following measures are cost-effective in dealing with unauthorized access, DDOS attacks, and excessive resource usage: authentication and authorization rules, monitoring and logging, HTTPS/TLS encryption, IP allow and deny lists, TLS termination, rate limiting, or load shedding for high-traffic scenarios. Observing the API Consumption Being at the edge of the system and receiving the majority of user requests, an API gateway provides important data about the application performance and customer satisfaction levels. The gateway enables monitoring of key performance indicators (KPIs) such as customer conversion rates, streaming initiation rates, revenue per hour, and detection of accidental or deliberate API abuse. It is a location to monitor the number of errors and throughput and to annotate requests that are transferred further through the system. All this data is important for further analysis and insights generation. The observability strategy usually implies dashboards and visualizations for correct interpretation of the metrics and alerting functionality for proactive issue resolution. Managing API Lifecycle Both internal and external parties use APIs. Large organizations develop an API strategy with goals, limitations, and resources set. A complete API lifecycle includes various stages, such as planning, designing, developing, testing, promoting, and others. Engineers and developers interact with API gateways during multiple of those stages. Besides, user traffic passes through the gateway. That is why implementing a relevant API gateway is critical. Enabling Monetization Often the APIs that are available to customers are developed as products. They are provided together with account management functionality and payment options. Modern enterprise API gateways allow for monetization. It is realized with such solutions as Apigee Edge and 3Scale. These portals integrate with PayPal or Stripe. Customers can set up rate limits, quotas, and consumption options to control the API usage. Where Is an API Gateway Deployed? For startups, small and medium-sized companies, an API gateway is usually located at the edge of the system. It might be the edge of the data center or cloud. In such a situation, a single API gateway guides users to the backend services. For enterprises, an API gateway is situated in multiple locations, as it is a component of a product, line, business, or department. Therefore, the gateways become separate implementations and provide different functionality in accordance with requirements and possibilities, e.g., operating on devices with limited processing power. Subtypes of API Gateways There is no exact agreement about the classification of API gateways in the software development domain. Different industry segments demand different things and, consequently, there are different views about an API gateway. That is why several subtypes of API gateway may be discussed. Traditional Enterprise Gateways: Such API gateways are used to manage business-focused APIs. These gateways are integrated with API lifecycle management solutions and help to release, operate, and monetize APIs at scale. There are open-source solutions and commercial versions available on the market. However, they rely on additional services like databases. Those databases have to be reliable so as not to disrupt the gateway’s operations. Maintaining those dependencies adds expenses and should be taken into account in disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity (BC) plans. Microservices Gateways: They direct inbound traffic to backend APIs and services. They focus on tasks like routing, security, and traffic control and are not used for API’s lifecycle management. They are deployed as separate components and often use an underlying platform, e.g., Kubernetes, for scaling and maintenance. Service Mesh Gateways: This is a type of gateway that handles basic traffic management tasks. That is why they mostly lack enterprise features, such as integration with identity or authentication solutions. Common API Gateway Pitfalls There are some API gateway pitfalls that developers should try to avoid. Sometimes organizations need the service mesh functionality. They route the traffic through the API gateway. However, it may lead to performance and security troubles and demand additional expenses, as cloud vendors charge egress fees. Another problem is insufficient scalability which causes a gateway overloading. Many API gateways supplement their functionality by creating plugins and modules. Such features as logging or filtering are useful. However, if the whole business logic is put into plugins, it couples the gateway with services or applications. This may result in a fragile system, i.e., a change in the plugin impacts the whole organization. Besides, in such a situation, the release of the target service is deployed together with a plugin. Multiple API gateways are usually deployed in large organizations. It is done to segment departments or networks. It may become a problem though if there is a necessity to release a simple service upgrade. It requires the coordination of many gateway teams and the performance is negatively affected. How Belitsoft Can Help Software development companies like Belitsoft offer their services to technological startups and enterprises in developing, integrating, and testing API services gateways. Identifying Requirements Before developing any service, careful investigation of the client’s requirements and expectations takes place. We help clients achieve the following aims: Improve communication of the engineers with the backend Aggregate backend services to improve client consumption Secure APIs from overuse and abuse with threat detection and mitigation Monitor KPIs and throughput Implement API lifecycle management Monetize APIs, including account management, billing, and payment Providing the roadmap with team augmentation and technological support At Belitsoft, we develop a roadmap tailored to the client’s demands. We take into account organizational structure to make sure all future decisions regarding the API gateway maintenance will be taken without constraints. We also analyze existing technologies in order to make them fit new API gateways. Our API developers specialize in Java Spring Boot, Python FastAPI, and .NET Core We implement and configure API Gateways to centralize and simplify API management, enable rate-limiting authentication, caching, data transformation, and abuse protection Belitsoft provides expertise in deploying and configuring AWS and Azure API gateways If you are looking for specialized API expertise, improved API quality, and a scalable API team, the Belitsoft software development company offers outsourced services to meet your needs. Contact us today to discuss your project requirements.

APIs fail to perform consistently, alter, or produce errors with new releases? The cause of such malfunctions is a lack of testing. Strategies for Organizing API Testing The Testing Quadrant The Testing Quadrant helps arrange tests in the right time and order and not to lose resources. The Quadrant allows for combining technological and business tests. Technology stands for the correct features. All the parts of the API should work properly and consistently in any situation. Business testing is making sure the product has been developed according to the customers’ needs and goals. An image of a Testing Quadrant. Each of the four quadrants contains certain tests. However, those tests should not necessarily be performed in a particular order Quadrant 1: Unit and component tests Quadrant 2: Manual or automated exploratory and usability tests. Requirement refinement Quadrant 3: Functional and exploratory tests Quadrant 4: Security tests, SLA integrity, scalability tests Quadrants 1 and 2 include tests that detect development issues. Quadrants 3 and 4 focus on the product and its possible defects. The top quadrants 2 and 3 check if the API corresponds to users’ requirements. The bottom quadrants 1 and 4 contain technology tests, i.e., internal issues of the API. When a team is developing an API, they apply tests from all four quadrants. For example, if a customer needs a system for selling event tickets that can handle high traffic, the testing should start from the fourth quadrant and focus on performance and scalability. Automated testing is preferable here, as it provides faster results. The Testing Pyramid Another strategy for arranging API testing is based on the Testing Pyramid. The Testing Pyramid demonstrates how much time and expenses unit tests, service tests, and UI tests require Unit tests are cheaper and easier to conduct than end-to-end tests. Unit tests are the base of the Pyramid. They relate to the Quadrant 1 from the previous strategy. Unit tests include testing small separated parts of code. They check if each “brick” of the construction is solid and reliable. Service tests are more complex and, therefore, slower than unit tests. They require higher maintenance costs due to their complexity. Service tests check the integration of several units or the API with other components and APIs, that is why they are also called integration tests. Service testing allows developers to verify if the API responds to requests, if the responses are as expected, and if the payloads are returned as expected. The tests are taken from the Quadrants 2 and 4. End-to-end tests are the most complicated. They focus on testing the whole application from the start to the endpoint and includes interactions with databases, networks, and other systems. End-to-end tests demand many resources for preparation, creation and maintenance. They also run slower than unit or service tests. End-to-end testing allows developers to understand that the whole system is performing well with all the integrations. These tests are situated at the top of the Pyramid because they perform at low speed with high costs and their proportion should be much smaller in comparison with unit tests. Some teams use low-maintenance, scriptless tools, such as Katalon, for automating regression testing within end-to-end scenarios to reduce effort required to maintain complex test scripts. From the perspective of a project owner, end-to-end tests seem to be the most informative. They simulate the real process of interaction with an API and demonstrate tangible results if the system works. However, unit tests should not be underestimated. They check the performance of smaller parts of the system and allow developers to catch errors in the early stages and fix them with minimum resources. Testing the API Core: Unit Testing The main characteristics of unit tests are their abundance, high speed, and low maintenance costs. When testing separate parts of the API, developers feel confident that their “bricks” of the construction are correct and operate as expected. If we develop an API for booking doctors appointments, the “bricks” of the unit testing might be the following: Correct authentication of patients Showing relevant slots in doctors’ schedules Appointment confirmation and related updating of the schedules Unit tests are self-contained, as they are run independently, do not rely on other tests or systems, and provide transparent results. If the test fails, it is easy to detect the reason and correct it. Sometimes tests are written before the code. This style of development is known as Test Driven Development (TDD). This way, tests guide the development process. It allows developers to know what their code should result in beforehand and write it in a clean and well-structured manner. If the code is changed and the implementation breaks, tests quickly catch the errors. An outside-in approach is a way to perform TDD. With this approach, developers ask questions about the expected functionality from the user’s perspective. They write high-level end-to-end tests to make sure the API brings users the results they wish. Then, they move inwards and create unit tests for individual modules and components. As a result, developers receive a bunch of unit tests that are necessary on the ground level of the Testing Pyramid. This approach saves developers time as they do not create unnecessary functionality. Tuning Parts Together: Service/Integration Testing While developing an API it is important to confirm responses that match expected results. Service testing verifies how the API operates and how it integrates with other systems. Service tests are divided into two groups: Component tests for internal checks Integration tests for checking external connections with databases, other modules, and services Component testing is conducted to see if the API returns correct responses from inbound requests. Tests from Quadrant 1 verify if all the parts of the API work together. Automated tests from Quadrant 2 validate the right responses from the API, including rejecting unauthorized requests. For example, to test the authentication component of the API that books doctors’ appointments the following endpoint should be tested: When sending an unauthorized request, the response should return an error of 401 (Unauthorized) When an authenticated user sends a booking request, a successful response of 200 (OK) is sent Integration testing allows developers to verify the connections between the modules and external dependencies. However, it is not practical to set up the whole external system for this test. That is why only the communication with external dependencies is checked. Thus, bringing the whole database of authorized patients to check its dependency with the booking API would become an end-to-end test, not an integration. Contract testing allows conducting integration testing while building an API. Tested interactions save developers’ time and guarantee compatibility with external services. To put it simply, the contract is an agreement that describes the rules of interaction between two entities. For example, when a patient books a doctor’s appointment, the contract specifies how the booking API interacts with the authentication service or patient database. Developers use contract testing to verify whether those interactions happen according to the rules set. Testing for Vulnerabilities: Security Testing Security testing stands in Quadrant 4 and is also a very important part of API development. API specialists perform various types of security API tests such as Authentication & Authorization, Input Validation, Business Logic Flaws, Sensitive Data Exposure, Rate Limiting & Throttling (to prevent Brute force, DoS attacks), Transport Layer Security, Error Handling, Endpoint Security (only required HTTP methods are used), Dependency and Configuration, WebSocket & Real-Time API Testing. For the booking API from our example they ensure that the whole doctor’s schedule or the information about other patients can’t be captured by malicious users or “attackers”. Checking the Entire Functionality: End-to-End Testing Finally, we have reached the top of the pyramid. We are using automated testing from the Quadrant 2 as a part of End-to-End execution. This approach verifies core cases and confirms that the systems work together and give correct responses. To test an external API that should interact with multiple third parties it is not realistic to copy those systems and simulate how their UIs work. It would be a waste of time. That is why it is recommended to set test boundaries. For example, for our booking API, necessary services, such as authentication service, might be included in testing, while other external dependencies like messaging systems are excluded. This way the tests will target the most critical functions of the system and will not require additional time. Another important point in organizing end-to-end testing is using realistic payloads. Large payloads may cause the APIs to break. Developers should know who their consumers are. How Belitsoft Can Help? Experienced software development companies like Belitsoft offer API development and testing services across industries, including software testing in financial services. We manage complex projects in fields like data science, machine learning, and data analytics, to ensure compliance, security, and reliability. Our experts in automated testing know how to maintain the balance between sufficient test coverage and confidence in a product and leverage regression testing to safeguard against unintended impacts during updates across financial systems and other critical workflows. Belitsoft offers the following API testing services: Functional Testing Validation Testing Load Testing Stress Testing Security Testing Reliability Testing Integration Testing End-to-End Testing Negative Testing Contract Testing Performance Testing Usability Testing At Belitsoft, we understand the importance of sensitive data and use the best principles and tools to protect our clients at the development stage. If you are looking for domain-specific API expertise (from real-time data analytics to HIPAA-compliant healthcare platforms), audit-ready quality, or a scalable testing team, the Belitsoft software development company offers outsourced services tailored enterprise systems. Contact us today to discuss your project requirements.

Why Outsource API Development Focus on your Core Competencies If you have limited experience with API integration for your business application, you may encounter several potential risks, such as insufficient security measures for end-users, and incorrect management of authorization and authentication. By outsourcing to seasoned API professionals, you mitigate these risks. Get a Cost-Effective Solution  Discover talented API developers beyond your local area. When outsourcing API development, you get access to skills and expertise at an economical cost. You don't have to maintain and recruit an entire unit of employees and save money on infrastructure such as sitting space, devices, software, etc.   Why API Developers from Belitsoft Experienced Pros Only Trusted by tech companies worldwide, we have successfully matched hundreds of developers. We ensure expert, custom-matched talent meets your business needs. Every API developer goes through a screening process to assess their communication skills, remote work readiness, and technical abilities (both API-specific and domain-wide).  Given our services' full-cycle scope, aside from API, we can assemble cross-functional teams of senior project managers, web developers, app developers, user interface designers, and other technical professionals who follow a well-defined development process to create a fully functional solution.  Effortless Hiring We handle all timesheets, billing, payments, NDAs, background and reference checks, and legal issues so that you can focus on product development.   Choose the engagement type that suits you, whether part-time or full-time and change it anytime.  Whether you have a temporary staffing need or aim to scale your engineering team, our global pool of remote dedicated developers is sure to fit your requirements. Adjust your team size as needed. How to Hire an API Developer from Belitsoft Tell Us Your Needs Provide us with as much detail as you can about the API developer you need. Our director of engineering will work with you to clarify your goals, technical requirements, and team dynamics. Share the role description, technical specifications, and hiring budget. Get Qualified Candidates Receive candidate profiles that match your engineering needs. Our API solutions expert will pre-screen API developers to ensure you receive only the best talent. Choose who to interview based on your preferences. Hire with Confidence When you're ready to make a decision, select an API developer to hire. Our team will conduct a manual profile review, video self-introduction, and technical interview or peer programming session to assess the candidate's technical background, work experience, and soft skills. Once you're satisfied, sign an NDA and let us handle the rest of the paperwork. Collaborate and Track Progress Communicate with your new API developer through chat or video calls, share files, and monitor project progress. Effortless Payments Receive invoices and make payments easily. Try working with your new API developer during a trial period to ensure a good fit before committing to a long-term engagement. How Much Does it Cost to Hire an API Developer? Custom API development has a custom price. Things that impact the cost: Years of experience and technical skills. Timeline for API development project completion, need for development team scaling, the complexity level of API requirements, and data format (WebSockets, JSON, REST, etc.). The availability of product specifications (rough idea; clear idea but no specifications; precise written specifications/wireframes...) and management experience (your experience managing development teams means you don’t need to outsource a dedicated project manager and the price will be lower). Engage with us to get an upfront cost expectation for an API developer. How Do We Vet the Best API Developers Experience and product complexity evaluation We review the developer's experience and the complexity of the products they have built. Candidates who demonstrate the depth and have worked on end-to-end projects move to the next stage. Communication skills assessment During an introductory call, we evaluate the developer's ability to communicate effectively. We also gain a deeper understanding of their technical experience and motivation for API development. Technical evaluation We conduct one or more interviews to assess the developer's involvement and performance in building complex software products. Problem-solving abilities test We test the developer's mental agility and problem-solving abilities through a combination of live evaluation and timed coding tests, including algorithmic and skill-specific problems. Verification of past experience We reach out to past clients and/or employers to verify the developer's real-world experience. We also gather inputs on reliability, punctuality, communication, and responsiveness. Continual performance assessment Throughout each engagement, we assess the developer's performance and ensure they maintain Belitsoft's quality standards. API Developer Skills API Design Patterns Design a good API Good API means that API is operational, expressive, simple, and predictable.  The API system is operational when it performs the tasks users actually want, supported by non-operational features like latency (e.g., the core task should take a few milliseconds, not minutes) and accuracy (e.g., the output should be as expected). The API system is expressive when it lets developers specify goals using self-documenting interfaces, like  "orders.filter(status=PAID)" instead of specifying instructions on how to achieve this like "orders.get(3, true)". It relies on  abstractions, like "loan.apply(amount=5000, term=12)", that mirror real-world workflows and incorporate business terminology financial teams use when discussing loans. So there is no space for constructions such as "loan.post({"amt": 5e3, "t": 12})", which focuses more on how programmers interact with HTTP. The API system is simple when the functionality that users want is exposed in the most straightforward way possible. For example, a translation API should not hide the ability to detect the language of input text inside a method designed for returning the translated text, it’s better to create a new method designed for this purpose like “DetectLanguage()”. Another approach to simplicity is to make the common case 'awesome and fast' and the advanced case 'possible.' The complex advanced settings are hidden by default from typical users who just want to deal with frequent scenarios and are available only to those who specifically seek them. So, if a translation API includes the concept of an ML model, it’s not necessary to ask the user to specify it upfront, as it can be done later if needed. The API system is predictable or unsurprising when it relies on repeated, consistent patterns (e.g., naming fields consistently). API users don’t learn API details by thoroughly reading the full documentation but just enough to accomplish what they want. If they learn that a field is called "text" in one request message, they’ll assume (as an educated guess) that a related method takes an "input.content" parameter with the same field name. If this assumption fails (e.g., because another message names the field "inputText", "content", or "textContent"), their productivity will decrease, and they’ll have to spend time figuring out why their assumption failed. Many APIs are built by multiple teams, where each member may name fields differently—especially if different people are responsible for different fields. Over time, these seemingly insignificant inconsistencies become much more important. Implement API Naming Conventions Best Practices Senior API developers should be able to employ principles and strategies to choose good names for different components of an API and distinguish good names from bad ones when designing and building APIs. It’s obviously possible to change API names after we realize they are bad, even if they are already in production. However, after changing the name of a frequently used function, you have to update all references to that function name with a big find-and-replace across all public source code available. This is not possible if a client has already copied that source code and made it private. The API’s name should be expressive. In other words, it should clearly indicate what it represents: If a function or RPC, then something like "DeleteAccount" If a resource or message, then something like "WeatherReading" If a field or property, then something like "postal_code" If an enumeration value, then something like "Color.RED" The API’s name should be simple or as long as necessary for clarity—no more and no less: "UserPreferences" is a better name for a resource used to store a user's preferences. "UserCustomPreferences" is a bad choice (the "Custom" does not add much). "Preferences" is a bad choice (unclear whose preferences—system-level or administrator-level). The API’s name should be predictable. If you group similar asynchronous messages together and use the name “topic” in one place, do not use “messaging_topic” in other places for the same goal, because the same name should represent the same concept, while different names should represent different things. Understand the Differences Between Remote Procedure Call (RPC) and REST API Architectures Experienced API developers often use REST API to perform so-called CRUD operations on a server, for example, to add a product to a database, retrieve the contents of a music playlist, update a person’s address, or delete an article from the website. As to RPC calls (or modern implementations such as gRPC for streaming), it’s great for stateless functionality, like to make complicated calculations or to run a procedure on the remote server (use an ML algorithm to detect fraud, transfer money between accounts, get a weather prediction for the town based on the postal code, take a picture with a remote device’s camera, or restart a server). Backend API Development Backend API developers understand and implement third-party integrations smoothly in applications, enabling business logic to be accessed from web, mobile, and IoT devices. They have a good grasp of security concepts like OWASP to ensure data security. Their focus is on delivering work with low latency and scalability, from design to coding and final release. These developers manage the exchange of data between the server and users, primarily focusing on server-side logic for high performance and quick responses. They may also integrate front-end elements developed by others. A basic understanding of front-end technologies is needed. An ideal API developer candidate has experience with complex tech implementations and a drive to continually improve and simplify systems. Responsibilities: API interface and service development (internal/external) Improving efficiency through identification of areas for improvement Developing, testing, deploying, and supporting services Monitoring and reporting features for service effectiveness Independent solution design and architecture API engineering, building, and scaling Web service design, development, documentation, and maintenance using AWS API Gateway, Lambda, and other serverless tech. API developer vs Backend Developer Backend developers and API developers both work on the backend of an application, but with different focuses. Backend developers create server-side logic, while API developers - the communication channel between systems and parts of the same system, or application programming interface allowing data and functionality to be shared. It is usually implemented through a web service API using REST and JSON. It's not about front-end interface. The front-end interface is the user interface of an application and is what the user interacts with. It is implemented using technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The front-end interface communicates with the backend, typically through an API, to access data and functionality and is responsible for visual presentation. Skills to look for in Java API developer A Java API Developer is responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining API specifications using OpenAPI Specifications/YAML to ensure scalability and security. The role involves working with various application teams to understand their business needs, ensuring API documentation is up to date, and troubleshooting API-related issues. Key skills and qualifications of a dedicated Java developer to build an API include: Experience in Agile methodologies, specifically Kanban or SCRUM. Knowledge of Java technologies (Java, J2EE, Webservices, Spring, Spring Boot). Hands-on experience in developing Spring Boot, Spring Cloud, Spring Integration or Node.JS based Microservices. Experience with API Gateway & Management, Docker & Kubernetes, AWS cloud products, and API security protocols (e.g. OAuth, SAML). Responsibilities of a Java API Developer include API management platform readiness, API portal setup, API gateway development, API implementation, security policies implementation, and full lifecycle API project management. The individual is expected to act as a subject matter expert in API development and support multiple projects. Skills to look for in .NET API developer To be a skilled ASP.NET Web API developer, one should have knowledge in the following areas: Understanding of HTTP protocols and RESTful API design principles. Proficiency in using .NET framework, specifically .NET Core. Strong C# programming skills. Experience with ASP.NET Core, including the use of middleware, controllers, and models. Knowledge of Entity Framework for integrating APIs with SQL databases. Understanding of security measures such as OAuth2 authentication and SSL encryption. Ability to write automated tests using xUnit or similar testing frameworks. Familiarity with front-end technologies such as Angular or React. Ability to monitor API performance, troubleshoot issues, and implement solutions in a timely manner. Understanding of API documentation, including Swagger documentation. It's recommended to be familiar with Authorize.NET API as it is a popular payment gateway solution used for online transactions. Here are some other types of .NET APIs to know: ASP.NET Core Web API: A high-performance and scalable API framework for building RESTful APIs with .NET. ASP.NET Core SignalR API: A real-time communication API for building real-time applications such as chat, notifications, and live updates. Microsoft Graph API: An API for accessing data and insights from Microsoft 365 cloud services such as Exchange, OneDrive, and Azure Active Directory. For businesses considering Azure cloud migration and API modernization, the expertise of .NET API developers in Azure API Management is crucial to quickly build and publish APIs. Skills to look for in Python API developer The ideal candidate should have a solid understanding of the Python language, including its syntax and data structures. They should be able to write performant, elegant, and legible code that is easy for team members to contribute to. They also should be capable of solving challenging tasks that go beyond everyday Python API development. Python API developer should have solid experience in Python web frameworks such as Flask and FastAPI. They should be comfortable developing and maintaining REST APIs within a microservice architecture. The candidate should have experience interfacing with databases, including knowledge of ORM on Python and MongoDB. They should be able to write unit tests for their code and be familiar with Linux. A good grasp of scalability and experience developing performant applications is essential. The candidate should be able to write highly legible code using design patterns and best practices. The candidate should have a general understanding of web application backend development and be familiar with Linux. They should be able to write good Python unit tests. If planned that candidate may join the engineering department in a team of Python backend developers, their mission will include the conception, development, and optimization of the API and associated services and functionalities. They will participate in the technical design of the API in collaboration with a software architect and ensure the consistency and quality of the code in production. They will also participate in code reviews with their peers on Gitlab.

FHIR introduces a standard whose elements (resources) are represented in JSON format and accessed using RESTful API. It is a global health interoperability standard that promotes scalable sharing of individual patient records across the entire healthcare system, moving away from proprietary data models towards common data models. FHIR provides a framework for data exchange through open APIs. It encompasses patient care, administration, payment, and the representation of medical research. In the USA, the federal government has driven the adoption of FHIR, beginning with the 21st Century Cures Act, which mandates API access for patients to their medical records. FHIR-based projects have also been implemented in Eropean countries (e.g., Denmark and Switzerland), Australia, and New Zealand. It is also supported by the World Health Organization. DICOM on FHIR DICOM is the international standard for medical images, ensuring interoperability across devices and systems. It is widely implemented in radiology, cardiology, and other medical domains. Hospitals worldwide use DICOM for producing, storing, displaying, sending, querying, processing, retrieving, and printing medical images. By grouping information into data sets—including patient ID, image pixel data, and metadata—DICOM ensures that medical images are always linked to the correct patient and context. To integrate medical imaging with broader clinical workflows, FHIR provides the ImagingStudy resource. This resource acts as a bridge between DICOM imaging data and FHIR’s clinical data model. It includes metadata about DICOM imaging studies, such as DICOM Unique Identifiers (UIDs), device type codes, and references to patient data. It also provides an URL for retrieving images via DICOMweb, enabling access to medical images within FHIR-based systems. DICOMweb provides a family of RESTful services for sending, retrieving, and querying medical images and related information. The principal services include WADO-RS for retrieval, STOW-RS for storage, and QIDO-RS for querying. These services make DICOM data accessible via web-based APIs, aligning with modern interoperability standards. To further integrate DICOM and FHIR, Microsoft has developed the Medical Imaging Server for DICOM, an open-source DICOM server that supports standards-based communication with DICOMweb-enabled systems. Alongside this, Microsoft’s DICOM Cast tool polls changes in a DICOM server and transforms them into FHIR resources (e.g., Patient and ImagingStudy). This integration enables a holistic view of patient data by combining imaging and clinical information within FHIR-based systems like Azure API for FHIR. FHIR Applications Showcase InteropEHRate Patient App  Andaman7 is an example of implementing FHIR to build a patient-driven mobile Personal Health Record (PHR) and an intermediation platform for secure health information exchange. The goal is to allow everyone to manage their health information on their mobile devices and to share it freely, particularly for research. Andaman7’s revenue is derived from providing electronic questionnaires for data collection for decentralized clinical trials. An XML formatted example of an Andaman7 GUI design on the left results in the display shown on the right. The XML file uses terms like subsection.allergiesAndIntolerance and qualifier.verificationStatus. These terms come from Andaman7’s Liquid Data Model, which is their way of organizing health data. These terms have clear connections to FHIR: allergiesAndIntolerance maps to FHIR’s AllergyIntolerance resource; verificationStatus maps to FHIR’s verification status field, which indicates whether an allergy is confirmed, unconfirmed, or refuted. By using terms that map to FHIR, Andaman7 ensures its app can work with other systems that use FHIR standards In the US, users of the app can download their EHR records from various intermediaries, like Apple using the mapping to HealthKit. Apple has connected to thousands of hospitals and health care providers using FHIR, so the data is available to iPhone users via the company’s HealthKit. Andaman7 also offers all its users, independent of their phone type, EHR access via other intermediaries’ (such as 1upHealth) connections to the FHIR gateways of many US healthcare facilities. These connections currently exist only in the US.  The InteropEHRate effort is designed to provide patients with a personal health record across all the European Union countries. Here, Andaman7’s app uses InteropEHRate protocols, which are based on FHIR, to connect to healthcare professionals or organizations via classic internet connections or via a local Bluetooth connection (e.g., in the physician’s office before or after a visit).  Platforms New Zealand is building an API infrastructure as part of its digital health ecosystem, primarily using the FHIR standard and SNOMED CT for terminology.  This initiative requires APIs for all new systems and retrofitting APIs to update existing systems. It also establishes a record locator service to securely index health information from trusted sources, making it accessible in a controlled manner. Additionally, it creates a pool of reusable integration components, algorithms, and program code around keyservices and the national health information platform. Local companies develop applications that comply with the government’s requirements for using FHIR and SNOMED CT and participate in projects like ACC-45 Injury Claims, which integrate into New Zealand’s national healthcare system. One of the applications is a FHIR platform.   FHIR Questionnaire and QuestionnaireResponse Resources This application uses FHIR standards for efficient data collection during patient check-in. Patient medical history from the electronic medical record is converted into a QuestionnaireResponse format to pre-fill check-in forms, reducing manual data entry. Patients provide updated information during check-in, which is stored using the FHIR QuestionnaireResponse resource. This screen for capture of dietary information directly from patients illustrates the human friendly user interface employed by Cure8. The information is SNOMED CT coded and is stored in a FHIR QuestionnaireResponse resource implemented according to the Structured Data Capture Implementation Guide (SDC IG) Patient reported outcomes (PROs) are data recorded directly from the patient and reported without intermediate interpretation Since QuestionnaireResponse stores unstructured data, then it is processed and transformed into structured FHIR resources (e.g., Patient, Observation) for compatibility with the EMR. The structured data from the check-in process is integrated back into the patient’s EMR, ensuring their medical history stays up to date and accurate. Clinical Notes Consultation A clinical notes consultation module allows a clinician to document care by annotating a photo of the patient’s face. AI and ML are used to automatically detect the anatomical structures of the facial anatomy in the photo of a patient.  The clinician uses visual tools to capture the entire treatment encounter by annotating the photo to document procedures carried out as well as devices and medications used, with no need to type or write clinical data.  This information is converted to SNOMED codes, structured into various FHIR Procedure resources that are linked to a FHIR Encounter resource that becomes part of the record. By capturing clinical data in such a highly structured form, the app may eventually predict the best treatment plan for a patient based on numerous factors such as age, race, facial shape, skin type, and more. This technique might also be used to monitor wounds on various body structures postsurgical patients in the future. AI and ML automatically identify facial features so the clinician can document care delivery based on its location The visual annotations are converted to SNOMED codes, structured into various FHIR Procedure resources that are linked to a FHIR Encounter resource that becomes part of the record. The image illustrates how clinicians can use a searchable interface to select SNOMED CT concepts for EHR entries mCODE and CodeX: A FHIR Standard for Cancer Care The data for the majority of cancer patients is stored in electronic health records (EHRs), often in unstructured formats like free text. Making EHR-based patient data useful for cancer research requires a common standard and language for oncology. The Minimal Common Oncology Data Elements (mCODE) is an HL7 FHIR Implementation Guide representing a core set of structured data elements for digital clinical oncology data.   CodeX (Common Oncology Data Elements eXtensions), an HL7 FHIR Accelerator project, was formed to build a community to facilitate interoperable data modeling and applications based on mCODE.  It is developing supplemental Implementation Guides for use cases, such as: ICAREdata Project. Integrating clinical trials and real-world endpoints to demonstrate that EHR data can be structured and contribute to efficient clinical research. Trial Matching. Leveraging mCODE open data standards and APIs to enable interoperable, scalable, and accessible clinical trial matching services. Registry Reporting. Enabling low-burden, mCODE-based reporting of cancer data from cancer centers to registries. Radiation Therapy Treatment Data. Developing open data standards based on mCODE for interoperable exchange of radiation therapy treatment summary data. Prior Authorization in Oncology. Using mCODE-based health data to enable prior authorization auto-approvals. ICAREdata’s goal, longer term, is to establish an infrastructure with participating health systems that supports mCODE-enabled data collection, extraction, and sharing to lay the groundwork for expanded exploration of the use of EHR data for clinical research. The vision is that patient portals will be able to easily send mCODE data to matching services via FHIR and will be able to present clinical trial matches back to their clients in a standard way, EHR vendors can offer a service to help their clients match patients to trials, open data standards and open APIs will drive awareness of and commitment to use these standards in the pharmaceutical industry to enable interoperable, scalable, and accessible clinical trial matching services for patients and their care teams SMART on FHIR App for Medication Management MedWise clinical decision support tools demonstrate how FHIR technology can enhance electronic health record (EHR) connectivity. Pharmacists and clinicians nationwide access MedWise via the company’s SMART FHIR app to promote safer medication use and improve prescribing practices. The MedWise medication management solution enables healthcare providers to comprehensively analyze complex drug regimens and optimize patient medication regimens. It helps pharmacists identify and address medication-related risks across a variety of safety factors, making it a potentially lifesaving tool. MedWise provides a holistic view of a patient’s entire medication list. It performs concurrent analyses that consider pharmacokinetics (what the body does to the drug), pharmacodynamics (what the drug does to the body), pharmacogenomics (the impact of an individual’s genomic makeup), and Chronopharmacology (how drug administration timing impacts metabolization and effects). This comprehensive screening helps identify accumulative multi-drug interactions, enabling clinicians to assess simultaneous interactions in a single view. The goal is to mitigate risks, simplify complex medication science, and support safer prescribing while minimizing alert fatigue. The platform includes powerful decision support tools, such as: MedWise Risk Score (MRS): A numerical indicator of a patient’s risk, calculated using the active ingredients in their entire medication profile. The MRS guides recommendations and benchmarks intervention impact. Adverse Drug Event (ADE) Bullseye and Side-Effect Wind Rose Diagrams: Visual tools providing at-a-glance, actionable insights into patient risks. Medication Risk Mitigation (MRM) Matrix: A schematic representation of a patient’s medication list for deriving personalized safety guidance, including drug-gene and multi-drug interactions. When patient genomic information is included, MedWise delivers even more precise and personalized care, incorporating drug-gene interactions and phenotype conversions into the analysis. MedWise is a cloud-based platform that leverages FHIR for integration and bidirectional communication with clinical call centers, pharmacies, health plans, and insurance providers. It supports connectivity with robotic dispensaries and facilitates real-time data sharing between platforms. FHIR is central to MedWise's integration with electronic medical record (EMR) systems and health service applications. It enables real-time access to clinical, pharmacological, and pharmacogenomic data. FHIR is used to obtain medication lists, demographics, eligibility information, and patient-specific data when launching MedWise tools within host applications or synchronizing data between systems. Evidence-Based Medicine on FHIR Clinical decisions should be supported by accurate, timely, and up-to-date information and should reflect the best available evidence. This means integrating individual clinical expertise with external clinical evidence derived from systematic, clinically relevant research, particularly patient-centered clinical research. It requires skills such as efficient literature searching and basic abilities in interpreting epidemiological and statistical results. However, even a skilled searcher can face an overwhelming set of results. Furthermore, reviewing the evidence, even when links are provided, can be a time-consuming process, which is problematic for busy clinicians. A FHIR-based schema could facilitate this process. EBMonFHIR is a project that uses FHIR to create a system linking medical research with patient data. The goal is to provide clinicians with up-to-date scientific evidence for real-time decision-making. This solves the problem of inefficient search and processing of medical literature, which is often not available in a machine-readable format. The project uses FHIR Resources (e.g., EvidenceReport, Evidence, Citation) to structure research data. EBMonFHIR integrates research data with EHR via FHIR. The project demonstrates how FHIR can be used to create clinical decision support (CDS) systems. The project aims to provide interoperability standards for data exchange for those producing, analyzing, synthesizing, disseminating, and implementing clinical research (evidence) and recommendations for clinical care (clinical practice guidelines). Key tools include the MEDLINE-to-FHIR Converter, which transforms MEDLINE references into FHIR Citation resources, enabling computable access to over 27 million life sciences journal articles, and the ClinicalTrials.gov-to-FHIR Converter, which converts more than 300 data elements from ClinicalTrials.gov trial registers into FHIR resources. The Clinical Trials Results Reporter (CTRR) is a prototype tool for human-friendly data entry and transformation of clinical trial results into computable FHIR resources.

What is a Load Board in Trucking? Load boards match freight brokers/3PLs/shippers with carriers (trucking companies) to transport the freight. They are web-based publications where companies willing to ship freight meet carriers interested in hauling loads or truck loading. The robust load board software has functionality that make their cooperation convenient and profitable for both sides. An example of load board software in web and mobile designs Advantages of Load Boards The load board software is aimed to help professionals in the logistics and transportation industry to optimize their workflows and increase profit. How freight brokers benefit from load board software Build new partnerships. If carriers have lower capacity or the work scope of a freight company has increased, load boards are a convenient way to find new partners to distribute freight and deliver it on time. Load board software automates paperwork and the negotiation process—checking the validity of carrier documents, filling in electronic W9/W8 forms, a certificate of insurance, etc. Handle specific freight deliveries. In case a freight broker gets specific cargo and their regular partners cannot deliver it because such cargo isn’t covered by a standard contract, load boards become an efficient solution for finding a reliable carrier to deliver the freight. How carriers benefit from load board software Avoid the cost of driving empty. After delivering the freight to a destination, a truck driver is forced to return home empty, which implies extra expenses and zero profit. Using load boards, a carrier posts a one-time shipping offer along the trucker route. It allows you to quickly find a freight broker to arrange a deal and fill a “backhaul”. Such one-time freight shipment typically obeys the laws of the spot market, such as a short-term agreement and a spot pricing rate. Load Boards for Freight Brokers A freight broker acts as an intermediary between shippers and carriers who organizes transportation services. Typically, companies with freight ask brokers to find carriers to transport their goods under certain conditions. No matter how a standard workflow of a freight broker is arranged – cold calls, personal connections, emails, etc. – they need to post loads and find carriers. The load board software automates these tasks and provides extra functionality that saves brokers’ time. Key Functionality of Load Board Software Post Loads Every day freight brokers risk losing shipping opportunities because carriers rarely post “backhaul” trucks. Carriers prefer to search for loads by calling shippers rather than receiving multiple inbound calls. Using freight load board software, freight brokers can post loads and make their offers visible to carriers who search for suitable freight for their trucks. Integrating this process with a Transportation Management System (TMS) enhances its efficiency by carrier selection, subcontracting, and route optimization. The well-thought load board software allows posting load boards with increased visibility. For that, developers: enable the functionality to sort load boards by rates, which helps load boards with attractive rates be at the top, remaining more visible to carriers and giving brokers more chances for a match; create fields for detailed load description, including not only basic things like origin and destination or pickup and delivery dates, but also required equipment, cargo weight, specific instructions, and more, to let carriers understand if they match without spending brokers’ time on clarifying all these details by phone or email; add a search function so that freight brokers could not only post and wait but actively search for carriers that match the load, which lets quickly and effectively find solutions for specific or urgent shipments.  Find Carriers Finding a carrier with a truck going to the necessary destination and having the necessary documents, required equipment, and transportation rates may take days, which leads to the risk for freight brokers to fail to deliver freight on time.  The load board software serves as a searchable database covering the rich network of trucking companies in the region, where freight brokers can quickly find a matching truck. This is especially helpful when a broker has a problematic lane or specific cargo.  To maximize the competitive advantage of using load boards, search for freight load board software with the following functionality: Search. A freight broker can use multiple search options by equipment type, required lane, load date, and more – to see only the trucks matching all important criteria and save hours on manual search among thousands of offers; Filters. After searching for available trucks and getting thousands of results, it’s highly useful to be able to filter and sort the results to accelerate the process. Using freight load board software, a broker can filter the search results by equipment type or truck type. Filtering by the proximity to a pickup location is also of great help as the nearest carriers will also be more interested in a load that is nearby. Notifications. Imagine that there are no suitable trucks and every next day a freight broker needs to start a search again and again. The robust load board software allows saving search results and getting a notification when a match is found. Some software sends real-time notifications even when a broker isn’t logged in, which saves time, eliminates manual work, and guarantees quick results;  Analytics. The software can analyze past transactions to show accurate market rates for thousands of common lanes in the region, which helps freight brokers evaluate the delivery cost and choose a carrier having more data in mind;  An example of a load board software where a freight broker searches for carriers and post loads Carrier Compliance Check Finding a reliable carrier is a challenging task. With small companies constantly going in and out of business, not a single broker can say right away which of them are worth working with. As a result, every freight broker daily faces the risk of contracting an unsafe carrier that may suddenly disappear. Considering the expectations of customers to get their freight delivered on time and without issues, such unsafe carriers put the entire business at risk. The critical function of load board software is qualifying carriers upfront, vetting, and monitoring them to reduce risk and ensure partnering with reliable carriers only. For that, load board software provides the following functionality: Vetting carriers to ensure compliance with legal standards. This includes checking a valid Federal Identification number, Motor Carrier (MC) number, and more. Some software allows brokers to save and print the carrier’s actual insurance certificate; Automated alerts after due diligence checkups. On a daily basis, the software monitors changes in carriers’ statuses, including carriers’ DOT profiles, authority, safety ratings, inspections, insurance renewals or cancellations, and many more. In case the status changes, a freight broker receives automatic emails or SMS alerts and takes the decision about cooperation with the carrier, which ensures safety and compliance with ethical standards; The review option from peers. Thus, a broker can quickly identify carriers with a “history” of unethical behavior, and choose the reliable carrier that will fulfill the shipment as agreed. Thus, brokers using load boards avoid the risk of load hijacking, fraudulent double brokering, and putting an unsafe carrier on the road. Load Board Integration with Transportation Management System (TMS) Even those freight brokers who use modern, comprehensive TMSs, daily spend hours on third-party websites and services to post loads, check carriers’ backgrounds, and examine shipping rates. It requires manually typing in lots of data from the TMS to find the required data. Load board integration serves as an essential add-on that eliminates these unnecessary manual processes and makes the freight management workflow more productive. Advantages of load board Integration: Integrated load posting. A freight broker doesn’t need to manually create multiple load boards. Thanks to the integration, the majority of data (origin and destination points, required equipment type, load weight, etc.) automatically fills in during the load posting. Integrated carrier search. Brokers can save hours if they can find available trucks directly within a TMS instead of searching for suitable carriers on third-party services. Integrated carrier compliance check. All the functionality that provides load board software – checking carriers’ DOT authority, CSA scores, insurance certificates, and more – can be available directly from a Transportation Management System. Integrated spot market rates. When a broker posts a one-time shipment on a new or rare lane, they need to research rates. Due to load board integration, the spot market rates automatically get into a TMS. So a broker can simply enter an origin/destination and see both contract and spot market rates for the specific lane. Integrated electronic document management. Load boards automate the onboarding of new carriers. By integrating this functionality into the TMS, freight brokers get the possibility to sign contracts electronically, and complete an electronic W9/W8 form and a certificate of insurance, without the need to send and receive faxes. In addition, such integrations allow receiving alerts about certification expiry or other status changes. A custom TMS with load board functionality designed by Belitsoft Transportation companies report a decrease in freight costs by over 10% after implementing a TMS with load-board functionality. This fact was proven by Belitsoft’s client that got custom software developed from scratch with all the advanced features. See the dashboards and detailed description in the case study API Integration for Digital Transformation of a Freight Management Company. GET A SOLUTION FOR YOUR CASE Load Board for Carriers A carrier is typically a trucking company or an individual owner-operator that is responsible for delivering freight to a consignee.  Find actual loads and the best brokers All the loads, rates, and any other load information is pulled onto load boards directly from brokers’ TMSs in real time. It means that carriers always view actual loads and avoid the risk of wasting time on a load already booked by another carrier. Once a load is booked, it’s no longer available to other carriers.  On top of that, load board software allows carriers to see brokers’ credit scores, average days to pay, and reviews.  Understand the best possible rates The carriers who know market conditions can be sure they’re getting paid adequately. Timely receiving the best pricing information available is the key to business growth and prosperity. Load board software provides actual data about thousands of contract rates and spot market lane rates, based on actual freight bills and transactions. To remain actual, the rates get updated daily. A good load board software allows carriers to make informed decisions and get the best deals accepting freight because prior to accepting the freight carriers can:  View shipper-to-carrier contract rates and spot market rates for certain lanes, Check rates for different equipment types, Monitor historical rate data for thousands of lanes, Get access to the average rates that other carriers get on certain lanes, See average fuel and per-mile accessorial charges, Get analytical data on highly-demanded lanes, a supply-and-demand metric that shows the market's current condition, and forecasts based on historical trends, Use a rate calculator to get a final price with accessorials and other charges, Compare rates to industry averages or rates within a state, and more, Get rates for possible intermediate destinations that can increase the overall profit,  And much more data that favors increasing carriers’ revenue. In addition, carriers can see shipping companies' reviews and credit scores to boost their negotiating power. An example of a dashboard that allows carriers analyze rates Mobile App for Truck Drivers Integration Having a mobile app for data load software is a far-sighted decision that brings benefits both to carriers and their truckers. Benefits of mobile apps for load board software for carriers: Carriers can get real-time updates about new loads within a certain radius of their current location. Finding the next freight delivery using a mobile app is convenient thanks to search and filter functions; A mobile app for load board software allows both carriers and freight brokers or shippers to track loads. For that, truckers share their location though mobile phones and keep all interested parties updated on delivery timelines without the need for check calls. The ability to track loads is highly useful when moving high-value freight, which increases the service level and customer satisfaction. Benefits of mobile apps for load board software for truckers: On their way, truck drivers can conveniently check fuel prices, find the nearest rest stops and hotels, and search for loads within 200 miles of their location; Truckers can use the mobile app to quickly and easily find and reserve parking. For that, they simply put in the address where you want to park and see the nearest safe parking options directly in the app. Need full-scale load board software? Or load board integration with a TMS? Or a mobile app for your existing transportation solution? Use our expertise with similar projects in the domain to get the expected result fast. GET A FREE QUOTE

Benefits of ready-to-use HubSpot QuickBook integration apps HubSpot integration with QuickBook allows for bi-directional syncing of contacts and products between the two platforms, though invoices can move only one-way. The integration also includes field mappings that can be customized. Sync rules can also be set up to allow you to resolve sync errors.  Afterwards, HubSpot’s workflow tool can be used to automatically create QuickBook estimates, invoices, and sales receipts. This automation can be configured to trigger based on different criteria, including specific actions taken by leads or customers. It is also possible to use the invoice deal property as a trigger in HubSpot workflows and custom reports.  You can create QuickBooks invoices within HubSpot deal records and send your customer a link to the invoice. Also, you can associate tax codes and use multi-currency for international customers. Automated flows can then be set up to move the invoices between draft, review, and approval stages on both systems. This ensures that the invoices are approved and reviewed before sharing them with the customer. Drawbacks of Using Off-the-Shelf HubSpot and QuickBooks Integration Solutions First, most off-the-shelf HubSpot and QuickBooks Online integration solutions come with predefined functionalities that do not necessarily align perfectly with your business's current workflows. Second, pre-built solutions are also known for having inadequate support and insufficient documentation.  Third, developers of third-party integrations can introduce mandatory updates that jeopardize already functioning business processes.  These and other issues outline some drawbacks of using off-the-shelf Hubspot QuickBooks integration solutions over custom-made ones.  This can be perfectly demonstrated by client’s complaints about the ready-to-use HubSpot and QuickBooks integration app.   Invoicing Functionality Issues Users of QuickBooks Data Sync app often complain that it's hard for them to delete invoices in HubSpot. The new integration does not link contact to the deals, hence making it hard for a business to create invoices as drafts from the deals. It forces a business to make invoices from the contact section, but not from where the payment comes.  They point out that Hubspot CRM QuickBooks' integration does not support progress invoicing, hence it only allows a single full invoice instead of partial billing for the accomplished works.  They experience frustration that it does not allow for payment except on the credit card. The new integration requires the business to enable the credit card mode even when they only use bank/ACH transactions.  Syncing Challenges Normally, when you connect HubSpot and QuickBooks, any new invoices made in HubSpot should automatically show up in QuickBooks too, and vice versa. However, customers complain that when they make a new invoice in HubSpot, that invoice is not automatically going into their QuickBooks as it's supposed to. The reverse process isn't working either. The invoice gets 'stuck.' Another problem happens with businesses that charge subscription fees. When subscription prices or details get changed in HubSpot, that new subscription information doesn't correctly copy over and update in QuickBooks. This is a really bad issue for subscription companies that absolutely need to have matching up-to-date subscription data in both programs. There's also an annoying problem where both QuickBooks and HubSpot mistakenly end up creating two duplicate copies of the exact same invoice. Search Limitations Users criticize the fact that they can only search for an invoice by its number or amount in Hubspot. This is not beneficial to companies with numerous invoices or invoices with the same amount. You cannot search for an invoice by your client name nor using the deal name. This adds an additional step in sending invoices and affects efficiency. Support, and Documentation Shortcomings Users are saying that the companies that make the official QuickBooks and HubSpot integration app don't provide enough help and support for connecting the two programs. The instructions and documentation explaining how to use the QuickBooks-HubSpot connection are either missing or outdated and unhelpful. Workflow Disruptions  Some businesses are forced to operate accounts and sales in parallel because essential features are lacking from the integration, increasing their efforts and operational expenses. Job costing, invoicing and billing processes are disrupted when the integration prompts users to attach invoices to contacts rather than deals.  Custom Integrations based on Hubspot API and QuickBooks API In the context of building custom integrations between HubSpot and QuickBooks Online, the choice to leverage the  HubSpot API  and QuickBooks API enables you to address all the above mentioned challenges and more in your integration.  HubSpot API HubSpot API allows integrations to interact with several objects and data on the HubSpot platform. It furnishes endpoints and methods to retrieve, create, update, and delete contacts, companies, deals, tickets, and custom objects stored in HubSpot.  The API allows integrations to trigger workflows and take actions based on occurrences or conditions on HubSpot. The HubSpot API also equips the integrations with endpoints to utilize HubSpot’s marketing tools, such as email campaigns, landing pages, and forms, in case the integration requires them.  QuickBooks API QuickBooks API enables integrations to access and manipulate data on the QuickBooks Online accounting platform. It allows endpoints and methods to retrieve, create, update, and delete customers, invoices, payments, and other accounting transactions.  The QuickBooks API also provides integration of the power to trigger workflows and carry out actions based on the occurrence or the state of affairs in QuickBooks. It also enables integrations to utilize the platform’s core accounting functionalities, such as invoicing, payment, and reporting.  HubSpot QuickBooks Custom API Integration Connecting QuickBooks and HubSpot allows data to flow both ways between the two programs. The integration works in both directions, so data can move from HubSpot to QuickBooks, but also from QuickBooks back into HubSpot when needed. The custom API integration acts like a bridge that allow the two programs to read data from each other and also write/save new data into each other's systems. To make this integration work, a custom QuickBooks-HubSpot API integration company should handle a few key things. The integration software, or middleware, that integrates QuickBooks and HubSpot, should be authorized to access HubSpot and QuickBooks' systems, or it will be blocked for security reasons. HubSpot and QuickBooks limit how much data can be requested at once, so this API software should be configured in a way that ensures those limits aren't exceeded, avoiding issues like denied requests. If any problems occur during the integration process, the integration software should let users know what's going on and provide context, rather than showing unhelpful technical errors. HubSpot and QuickBooks store data differently, so the integration software has to map fields from one to the other to ensure customer data transfers accurately and where it's expected. Our custom integration automates workflows unsupported by official pre-built solutions. Ask Us a Question.

Drawback of Using Pre-Built Third-Party QuickBooks Shipping Integration Solutions If the native pre-built integration offered by QuickBooks has such limitations, maybe there are third-party solutions that address the known issues?  Of course, there are. For example, Shipstation shipping software with pre-built Quickbooks integration available in the Quickbooks marketplace as an official partner solution. But that may not help.  First, the name speaks for itself - you can use this Quickbooks integration only if you purchase this shipping software.  Second, buyers of this product are not among the happiest customers. There are things that drive them mad.  Customers complain that the integration between QuickBooks Online (QBO) and ShipStation is a one-way street. QBO only receives information from ShipStation but does not send order information back. They want reverse functionality, but the app team doesn’t hear them. Customers are dissatisfied with the constant bugs, which are only added to by updates. Support tickets take ages to receive responses or receive none at all. Customers complain that many transaction details either do not transfer at all or end up in the wrong places after data transfer. They are unable to export invoices due to failing reports, even though ShipStation confirms the connection as successful. They have to create a sales record manually in QBO because of sync failure. Common issues include failed client imports, changed invoice numbers, duplicated entries for already existing customers, and new ones with missing order information. Benefits of Custom Shipping Integration with QuickBooks We help companies digitize their shipping tracking by solving the integration challenges with QuickBooks to exchange critical information, including customer, inventory, and orders. Ask Us a Question Reduced Manual Work QuickBooks will be able to automatically send the address and order details to the carrier, and then retrieve the tracking numbers and shipping costs from the carrier to update QuickBooks data. Shipped order information can automatically be passed into QuickBooks. You can choose whether to record the shipment as a Sales Receipt in an asset account or as an Invoice in accounts receivable. Shipment details can include ship date, carrier, tracking number, and shipping charges collected at checkout. You will be able to synchronize even incomplete orders to ensure more accurate accounting at every stage of order fulfillment.  Product data from your orders can be mapped to existing product records in QuickBooks or used to automatically create new ones. This integration, to avoid duplicates, looks at products already in QuickBooks by SKU or product name, or some combination of the two.  Customer data, such as recipient information, can also be synced by matching a field from the order, e.g., the email address. A new customer record can be created automatically if the customer does not already exist in QuickBooks. Existing customer records can be updated with the latest information from each order. Sales tax information can be populated based on the recipient's address, matched to the tax agencies you've configured in QuickBooks, ensuring accurate tax calculations. Improved Visibility  After integrating with the last-mile delivery tool, updates or changes in delivery status can be immediately reflected within QuickBooks, often appearing directly on the invoices or payment receipts. Billing can be automatically updated when a delivery is completed, and logistics costs can be entered into financial reports without any manual effort. From the same platform where you oversee customer interactions and process payments, you can send delivery notifications along with a tracking link.  Warehouse staff can instantly access orders and invoices from QuickBooks, with the ability to auto-populate shipping screens by simply scanning a document number. Front office and management can also see shipment history, metrics and reporting. Businesses with multiple warehousing locations will coordinate shipments from various points. Advanced Mapping Automation Integration may be programmed to allow orders to be automatically processed using conditional statements like IF/THEN. This rule can be activated if it matches a condition like the status of the order, the overall weight, or the shipping preferences of the customer. For example, if the freight weight surpasses X lbs, a relevant carrier may be assigned automatically. Ship packages faster! Eliminate errors from typing, importing/exporting, and copying/pasting with Quickbooks integration Services from Belitsoft. Let’s talk