While many tools exist to build and deploy your no-code APIs, your options are limited when your solution requires a custom or highly bespoke APIs that execute custom logic.
Linx
Linx offers a comprehensive platform that allows you to build, test, and deploy your API with deep customisation. You can implement highly custom APIs in multiple ways by utilising a coding methodology.
Linx allows for the creation of REST APIs in two different ways:
API-First Development
Building and implementing APIs with an API-first approach, ensuring you can easily integrate your APIs with microservices architectures and applications. Using the OpenAPI definition ensures the API’s consistency, reusability, and interoperability.
Code-First APIs
By using the API builder, you can implement services, components, and resources quickly. You create the REST endpoints using a wizard. You will still have full control over how you want to populate functionality.
Once the API has been defined, logic can be added. This is where the low-code power of Linx truly shines, as you can execute any back-end task using a drag-and-drop interface. Linx allows for reusability of previously created logic, implementation of custom logic that allows for execution of any back-end activity and unmatched control over the process.
Finally, Linx allows for seamless deployment and hosting of your API on a Linx server (on-premise or cloud). The API will be hosted and monitored so that clients can access it. Linx also creates and hosts Swagger or Redocly documentation, making it easier for users to understand and interact with your API.
Read more: Building low-code web services
MuleSoft
MuleSoft’s Mule application builder has many components to facilitate interaction with various back-end objects, making building a custom API relatively easy.
To create an application in MuleSoft, you must first design the API. This is done by producing a RAML API definition. There are a few options for this; however, MuleSoft does have a specification creator that can help with this task. Once the RAML definition is created, it can be imported into MuleSoft by publishing it to ‘Exchange’ (a marketplace for connectors on MuleSoft).
After defining the API, you can add your business logic using MuleSoft Anypoint Studio. The logic is added via a drag-and-drop interface, where components are dragged into a canvas, and a workflow is built and configured.
Once development and testing is done, the API can be published on MuleSoft’s cloud platform CloudHub where is hosted and monitored.
Learn More: Developing your first Mule application
Mendix
Instead of focusing on creating the API, Mendix allows you to expose any pre-built Mendix application as a REST resource. This means that the custom logic can be built as a Mendix application and then exposed as an API.
There are a few ways to do this. Firstly, the entire API can be created via a wizard. The wizard prompts what endpoints are needed, and once selected, they are created. The endpoints are then fully configurable after the fact.
An API can also be built from scratch, where you define the endpoints, authentication, and their behaviors yourself. This is a more hands-on approach, but it allows for deeper customization.
Once development and testing is done, the API is hosted with your application on Menfix cloud, or on your Mendix server.
Learn more here: Publishing REST APIs in Mendix
FlowGear
Similar to Mendix, you can create an API endpoint for any Flowgear Workflow. Custom logic is built and tested inside the Workflow, meaning you have access to all connectors in Flowgear. Field mapping is also done via a visual interface, allowing for simplified exposure of your data fields.
Once a Workflow is created, it can be exposed as a REST endpoint, thus allowing clients to interact with it. This is done from within the Flowgear development environment.
The API is then hosted along with your workflows on the Flowgear cloud, eliminating the need for external hosting mechanisms.
Learn more here: FlowGear Connectors
Boomi
Pre-created Boomi processes can be exposed as an API. For example, a process can be created to read data from a database and that can then be exposed as either a REST or SOAP API. The customization thus lies in the fact that you can build the Boomi process to your specification.
Once the process is built, it can be exposed as an API by using the built in Boomi API Service Configuration. The customization sits in the creation of the Boomi process. Here you can add your own logic, validations and mappings to match your requirement.
Once the initial configuration is done, authentication can be applied and then the API will be hosted on the Boomi API Management portal.
Learn More here: Getting started with Boomi API Management