API and backend development
Reliable APIs and Backends With Clear Contracts
We design and build APIs and backend services with explicit contracts, authentication, validation, business logic, sound data models, background processing and documentation, tested so that the systems relying on them can trust them.
- Contract first, code second
- Validated, authenticated, rate-limited
- Documented for the people who call it
1 · Authenticate
Bearer token checked; scope work_orders:write
401 if missing, 403 if the scope is wrong.
2 · Validate
Payload checked against the contract
422 with field-level errors for invalid input.
3 · Rate limit
Per-client limits applied
429 with a retry-after header when exceeded.
4 · Business logic
Site exists, client may create orders there
Rules live in one place, tested.
5 · Persist
Order saved in a transaction; idempotency key stored
Retries never create duplicates.
6 · Respond and queue
201 Created; notification job queued
Slow work happens in the background.
Why contracts matter
An API is a promise to other software
Front ends, mobile apps, partners and internal tools all depend on an API behaving consistently. We define the contract first, covering resources, fields, errors and versioning, so everyone can build against it while the backend is developed.
Background work is designed to fit your hosting: scheduled jobs and database-backed queues work well on modest infrastructure, and we only recommend always-on workers or extra services when the workload needs them.
Scope and deliverables
What API and backend work covers
Included
- API contract and documentation
- Authentication and authorization
- Data modeling
- Background jobs suited to your hosting
- Integration tests and observability
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API contract
Resources, fields, error formats and versioning, documented in a machine-readable specification.
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Authentication and authorization
Tokens or sessions, scopes and per-resource permission checks.
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Validation and business logic
Input checked at the edge; rules implemented once and covered by tests.
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Data modeling
Relational schemas, indexes and migrations designed for correctness and growth.
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Background processing
Scheduled and queued jobs suited to your hosting environment.
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Documentation
Reference documentation and examples for the developers who will use the API.
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Integration testing
Automated tests that exercise the API the way real clients will.
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Observability
Structured logs, error tracking and basic metrics for latency and failures.
Trust, security and oversight
Security and reliability
Defense in depth
Validation, authorization on every resource, rate limiting and safe error messages that reveal nothing internal.
Idempotency
Write operations can be retried safely, which matters for mobile clients and integrations.
Dependency care
Libraries kept updated and checked against known advisories.
Backward compatibility
Versioning and deprecation policies so clients are not broken by changes.
Readiness
Helpful to have before we start
- Who will call the API: your apps, partners or internal tools
- The main resources and actions involved
- Existing systems or data the backend must use
- Hosting constraints or preferences
- Expected volume, even roughly
Fit
When it fits
A good fit when you have
- Several clients or systems need the same data and rules
- An existing backend is fragile, undocumented or hard to change
- You are building a front end or mobile app that needs a dependable API
Probably not a fit when
- A ready-made backend service fully covers your needs
- You need a connection between two existing tools only: see software integration
Engagement approach
How an API project runs
Discovery
Clients, resources, data sources and constraints.
Contract design
The specification reviewed with the people who will use it.
Build and test
Endpoints, logic and data model with automated integration tests.
Hardening
Rate limits, error handling, logging and a security review.
Documentation and handover
Reference docs, examples and operational notes.
REST or GraphQL?
REST suits most business APIs and is simpler to cache and secure. GraphQL can help when many clients need very different shapes of data. We recommend based on your clients, not fashion.
Can background jobs run on shared hosting?
Scheduled jobs and database-backed queues processed by cron work on many shared hosting plans. Heavy or real-time workloads may need a different environment, and we will tell you if yours does.
Will you document the API?
Yes. Documentation is part of the deliverable, including a machine-readable specification and examples.
Can you improve an existing API?
Often. We start with tests around current behavior so changes can be made safely, then address the most important issues first.
Next step
Need an API other software can rely on?
Tell us who will use it, what it needs to do and what exists today. We will suggest a contract-first plan.
We reply by email. An inquiry is not a contract, and there is no obligation.