API Integration Checklist: What to Prepare Before Development
Most integration delays come from missing access or unclear data mapping, not from the code itself. Here's what to have ready.
The code for most integrations is the easy part. The delays almost always come from missing access, unclear ownership, or ambiguous data mapping discovered mid-build — all of which are avoidable with a short checklist upfront.
Have credentials and documentation ready: API keys or OAuth access for every system involved, current API documentation (not the version from two years ago), and a technical contact on the other side if it's a third-party vendor.
Map the data before development starts, not during it. Know which fields correspond to which on each side, how conflicts are resolved when both systems can edit the same record, and what should happen when a sync fails partway through.
Agree on the failure behavior in advance: does a failed sync retry automatically, alert someone, or queue for manual review? Deciding this upfront is far cheaper than discovering the answer in production.
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