An Organic Approach to Your API Ecosystem

There are many approaches to building an API ecosystem. Some approach it more like building an API community, and others as growing an API ecosystem.

Howard Liptzin, at Avatar Industries prefers a more organic approach growing an API community. In his own words:
What you'll want to do is to create the conditions for a community to form, thrive, produce and grow.
Liptzin emphasises gardening over engineering, not managing your community, more facilitate. Before you even start, Liptzin offers a little advice:
Make sure your API actually solves a problem that merits solving!
Then Liptzin identifies five areas to address when growing your API ecosystem:
  • Creation
  • Activation
  • Retention
  • Productivity
  • Growth
It is great to see other API owners and evangelists share their philosophies and approach to growing their community.

I recommend reading Liptzin's full post, Rainmaking via Developer Communities.