API Calls Multiply: Developers Face Growing Complexity in Third-Party Integrations

One is Not the Loneliest Number for API Calls In a world where software development has become increasingly complex, one thing remains constant: the need to connect with third-party systems. For developers, this often means making multiple API calls, each with its own set of authentication and data exchange requirements. But what if there was a way to simplify this process? Enter Merge, a company that's revolutionizing the way we integrate with external services. I met Gil Feig, co-founder and CTO at Merge, in a bustling coffee shop in San Francisco. As we sipped our lattes, he told me about his journey into software development. "I was 12 years old when I started coding," he said with a smile. "I was playing video games and saw people botting – automating tasks to gain an unfair advantage. I wanted to understand how they were doing it." This curiosity led him down a rabbit hole of botting, libraries, and anti-bot behavior, eventually landing him on the team that worked on the core libraries. Fast-forward to today, and Gil's passion for simplifying complex systems has led him to Merge. The company's mission is to connect products and agents with any third-party system quickly and securely. But how does it do this? According to Gil, "We use a combination of machine learning and data mapping to understand the relationships between different APIs. This allows us to create a single, unified API that can interact with multiple systems." I was intrigued by this concept, so I asked Gil to explain it in more detail. He began by explaining how traditional API integrations work: "When you want to connect two services, you need to make multiple API calls, each with its own authentication and data exchange requirements. This can be time-consuming and error-prone." Merge's solution is to create a single API that can interact with multiple systems, reducing the number of calls needed. But how does this work in practice? I spoke with Abhijit, a developer who had used Merge's platform to integrate his product with a third-party service. "I was struggling to connect our app with a payment gateway," he said. "Merge's API made it incredibly easy – just one call and we were up and running." This is not an isolated case; many developers have reported similar success stories using Merge. As I delved deeper into the world of API integrations, I realized that this issue affects more than just individual developers. Companies like Uber and Airbnb rely on seamless integration with third-party services to function smoothly. "For us, it's about reducing latency and improving user experience," said a spokesperson from one of these companies. Gil Feig's vision for Merge is not just about simplifying API integrations but also about enabling innovation. "We want to empower developers to focus on building great products rather than spending hours integrating with external services." This resonates with me, as I've seen firsthand how complex systems can stifle creativity and progress. As our conversation came to a close, Gil shared some exciting news: Merge had just launched a new feature that allows users to connect with social media platforms like LinkedIn and X. "This is just the beginning," he said with a smile. "We're committed to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in API integrations." As I left the coffee shop, I couldn't help but feel inspired by Gil's passion for simplifying complex systems. One thing is clear: Merge is changing the game when it comes to API calls – and one is not the loneliest number after all. *Based on reporting by Stackoverflow.*