Exploring Content API

OptionsJani Tarvainen, 23.3.2016

About me• Jani Tarvainen• Fully Stuck Developer• I do all kinds of things

• Current Corporate Affiliations• PS Consultant at eZ Systems• Principle Growth Hacker at Malloc Skunkworks

• Twitter: @velmu

Content APIs?• A way of accessing pristine, unformatted Content via an API• 99% of the time people think of JSON reads and REST

• Arguably a Content Marketing Buzz Byproduct• If you've got a REST API you'll make money

• Content vs. Data• Data is Collected• Content is Created

Content and presentation decoupled• This is new and awesome!• Or is it?• RSS Feeds and AJAX in 2005: http://www.nigelcrawley.co.uk/bbc/

• P.S. XML's not dead, it's different from JSON:• <para>Go ahead and try to create <em>mark up</em> like this in <link

target=”123”>JSON</link></para>

So what are our options?

Data Platforms• Some examples:• Ruby Grape (Ruby): http://www.ruby-grape.org• Spray (Scala): http://spray.io• Nodal (JavaScript): http://www.nodaljs.com• Maru (Elixir / Erlang): https://maru.readme.io• API Platform (PHP): https://api-platform.com

API Platform usage demo (with EasyAdminBundle)• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ805S7rdFw

Data Platform Advantages• Extremely flexible• High performance• Provide exactly what is needed• 100% Control• Can be used to aggregate Data and Content

Data Platform Disadvantages• Content Management is a complex problem domain• Very developer focused• Crafting solutions to generic problems that Content API / CMS solves• Stability of platform over 5-10 year span

Content Platform• Examples• Contentful: http://contentful.com/• Box Content API: https://developers.box.com/content-api/• Prismic: http://prismic.io/• Medium API: https://medium.com/developers• GatherContent: http://gathercontent.com

Contentful Usage Demo• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JITUIFLq2c

Content Platform Advantages• Simplified content entry• Simple to purchase and deploy• Good developer APIs, SDKs and Documentation• Scales globally without actions• If the API does not work... you know who's to blame

Content Platform Disadvantages• No control, features can be removed at any point• Price can shoot up with large amounts of Content• No tools for layout management• Integrations (authentication, etc.) can be tricky• You'll (probably) need to do layout management somewhere

Content Management System (CMS)• Examples• Craft CMS: http://craftcms.com• Drupal: http://drupal.org/• WordPress: http://wordpress.org/• eZ Platform / Studio: http://ez.no/• Plone: http://plone.org

eZ Studio API and Layout editing Demo• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIoGdyuiEnk

Content Management System Advantages• Sitebuilding essentials: Content management, permissions, layout

management, etc..• Tried and tested over decades• Extensible and able to integrate• Full control over installation (self hosted)

Content Management System Disadvantages• Usability mileage varies• Feature bloat: Forum, CRM, eCommerce...• Can be old and crufty• Development & hosting overhead (self hosted)• Tempting to see everything as Content (vs. Data)

Conclusions• Content Management is a melting pot of Content, Data and Control• One size does not fit all• Power is nothing without Control• Don't over-engineer

Editor experience matters (Sway.com)

http://sway.com

The end• Related Links:• Exploring Content API Options (video and Sway Slides)• The Content API Gold Rush• Open Source and the Content Creation Experience• Your CMS REST API should be WordPress Compatible• Popular Symfony components used by CMSes• Testing content editing with Sway