Integrating your systems is taking months because your API wasn't designed for it?
Third parties can't use your API without calling your dev team for help?
A poorly designed API is a technical debt that compounds every time a developer touches it. New integrations take longer. Changes break things they shouldn't. Documentation doesn't match reality.
We build APIs that are designed as products -- with consistent patterns, versioning, clear error responses, and documentation that developers can actually use. Whether you need a RESTful API, a GraphQL layer, or a webhook architecture, we build it to last.
RESTful APIs, GraphQL, and webhook architectures
OpenAPI 3.0 documentation generated from the code, not written separately
Rate limiting, auth, versioning, and error handling built in from the start
100+ APIs built for products shipped across 24+ industries
Most APIs are built as implementation details -- a way for system A to talk to system B. They work for their original purpose and then create friction for everything that follows. New integrations take longer than they should. The documentation is out of date. Error messages don't tell you what's wrong. Rate limits aren't documented until you hit them.
A well-built API is a product. It has a clear schema, consistent patterns, error codes that mean something, documentation that developers can use without calling the team, and versioning that lets you make changes without breaking existing integrations.
We've built the APIs behind 100+ software products. We know what makes an API easy to consume and what makes it a maintenance problem three months after launch.
For the product that the API powers, see our custom software development and product engineering services. For APIs connecting enterprise back-office systems, we have specific experience in ERP development and supply chain software.
Resource-based REST APIs with consistent naming, HTTP method semantics, status codes that match the outcome, and pagination patterns that work at scale. Built with Express, Fastify, or Django depending on your stack requirements. OpenAPI 3.0 spec included.
GraphQL schemas designed around your domain model with resolvers that don't generate N+1 queries. DataLoader-based batching, persisted queries for performance, and subscription support for real-time features. Strong typing with TypeScript for safe schema evolution.
Event-driven webhook architectures that notify external systems of state changes in real time. Delivery with retry logic, signature verification for consumer authentication, event log for debugging, and a developer dashboard for webhook management. Built to handle the volume and reliability that third-party integrations require.
Integrations with payment providers, CRM systems, ERP platforms, identity providers, and data services. We handle the OAuth flows, the rate limiting, the error handling, and the data transformation so your application gets clean, reliable data from external services.
For organisations with multiple backend services, we build API gateways that centralise authentication, rate limiting, logging, and routing. A single entry point for external and internal consumers -- with per-client rate limits, usage analytics, and a developer portal for API key management.
APIs designed for external developer consumption -- with developer registration, API key issuance, usage dashboards, and comprehensive documentation. We build the API, the developer portal, and the onboarding flow so third-party developers can integrate without needing to call your team.
The things we build into every API that most agencies don't.
A 400 error that returns {error: invalid} is useless. A 400 that returns the specific field that failed validation and why saves a developer 30 minutes of guessing. We design error responses as part of the API contract, with field-level validation errors, human-readable messages, and machine-readable codes.
Documentation written separately from the code drifts. We generate API documentation from OpenAPI annotations in the code itself, so what's documented is what's deployed. Developer portals, endpoint references, and authentication guides are all produced as part of the build.
Rate limits, IP blocking, and request throttling designed before the API goes live -- not added when someone starts hitting it in ways you didn't anticipate. Per-client limits, burst allowances, and 429 responses with Retry-After headers. Standard API security, not an afterthought.
Tell us what systems need to connect and who will consume the API. We'll design a spec before writing a line of code.
We design the API before writing any code. Resource naming, endpoint structure, authentication model, versioning strategy, error response format, and pagination pattern -- all specified in an OpenAPI 3.0 document that your developers, partners, and future maintainers can use as the source of truth.
Resource and endpoint design with clear naming conventions
Authentication and authorisation model (OAuth 2.0, JWT, API keys)
Error response design with field-level validation messages
OpenAPI 3.0 specification produced before build begins
Tell us what the API needs to do and who will consume it. We'll design a spec before we write a line of code.
I definitely recommend RaftLabs, especially to solo founders like me. Their clear communication and detailed discussions have always helped me make better decisions.
Custom Software Development — Build the full product that the API powers
Product Engineering — API design as part of a full product engineering engagement
Enterprise Software Development — Enterprise-grade API design with security review documentation included
ERP Development — APIs that connect ERP modules to external systems and partners
Supply Chain Software Development — Supply chain APIs connecting suppliers, carriers, and WMS systems
Tell us what the API needs to do and who will consume it. We'll spec it out and give you a fixed build cost.
Use an off-the-shelf API platform (like a BaaS or an API gateway product) when your use case is standard -- simple CRUD operations, user authentication, file storage. Build a custom API when your business logic is specific enough that generic platforms can't handle it cleanly, when you need to orchestrate multiple data sources, when performance requirements are tight, or when you're building an API that external developers or partners will consume. If you're spending more time configuring a platform to match your logic than the platform is saving you, it's time for a custom build.
REST works for most cases -- it's well understood, simple to document, and well supported by every HTTP client. GraphQL is better when your API is consumed by clients with very different data requirements (a mobile app that needs minimal data vs. a web dashboard that needs everything) -- it reduces over-fetching and makes schema evolution easier. Webhooks are the right choice when external systems need to be notified of events in real time rather than polling. Most systems use a combination: a REST API for resources, webhooks for events, and sometimes GraphQL for a frontend data layer.
For APIs consumed by third parties, we implement OAuth 2.0 with client credentials (machine-to-machine) or authorization code flow (user-facing). For internal APIs, JWT-based authentication with role-based access control. We implement API key management for simple public API access patterns. Rate limiting, IP allowlisting, and scope-based permission systems are part of the standard build, not add-ons.
Yes. We generate OpenAPI 3.0 documentation from the code itself -- so the documentation stays in sync with the implementation. For APIs with external consumers, we also produce usage guides, authentication walkthroughs, and example requests for common use cases. We can host documentation on Swagger UI, Redoc, or a custom developer portal depending on your needs.
We build versioning into the API from the start -- URL path versioning (/v1/, /v2/) for REST APIs, or schema versioning for GraphQL. Breaking changes are introduced in new versions, not applied to existing ones. We define a deprecation policy -- how long old versions are supported, how consumers are notified of upcoming changes -- so your API consumers can plan migrations without being broken by upgrades.
Yes. This is a common approach for organisations that want to modernise the interface to a legacy system without replacing the system itself. We build a modern API layer that translates requests into whatever format the legacy system understands, and transforms the response into a clean, well-structured output. Consumers of the new API don't see or know about the legacy system behind it. This is often the first step in a broader legacy modernisation programme.
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