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Do we need a web API?

liaison.dev

11–20 of 107 posts

Re: Do we need a web API?

#11
post #3

This is an interesting project, but there are very good reasons for having API's. Its just about is it the right tool for the job. I don't like their comment : 'They are just a necessary evil so the frontend can communicate with the backend'

I'm sympathetic to your position, but right now your comment doesn't carry much information. Why are they the right tool for the jobs? Which reasons are those?

Re: Do we need a web API?

#12
In my view you just replaced an explicit API built on top of known protocols, by a semi-magical implicit API.

The problem of serialization, deserialization, versioning, endpoint design... They aren't an artifact, they're intrinsic to how Web apps are built.

But yeah, for small projects I think this could be really neat.

Re: Do we need a web API?

#13
Magic, implicit glue code is worse than explicit, handrolled glue code, imo.

Do you need a web API? If you need to serve data to a web frontend then yes. Pick your poison, but you will have one. You can do a little dance that makes it look like you don’t have one, but in my experience that usually turns out worse than just writing the damn thing.

Re: Do we need a web API?

#14
post #3

This is an interesting project, but there are very good reasons for having API's. Its just about is it the right tool for the job. I don't like their comment : 'They are just a necessary evil so the frontend can communicate with the backend'

I'm sympathetic to your position, but right now your comment doesn't carry much information. Why are they the right tool for the jobs? Which reasons are those?

Not to offer information, I'm just objecting to the stance they seem to make that : "Hey we're solving the 'API' requirement problem' when there really is no problem..

If your backend only communcates with an SPA and nothing else, then yup, this is a good tool for that job.

Re: Do we need a web API?

#15
Pouchdb/firebase/backend-as-a-services were supposed to be the answer to getting rid of CRUD apis. The problem is authorization and validation becomes really difficult if you don't have a backend that you can trust.

Re: Do we need a web API?

#20
post #7
post #4

>Sorry, this site requires JavaScript to be enabled. For a flat blog post? Like, seriously?

welcome to the web 2.0 cooming soon: web assemply web 3.0 which (I fear) might feel a lot like flash web pages from the early 00s. I hope I'm wrong.

got to get the fuck out of the industry professionally at this point
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