by Adnan Kussair
It's easy to feature bloat a web development project. In addition to the lengthened project duration, there are many other negatives.
Consider building less.
Write the least amount of code, combine it with the right 3rd party platform via its application programming interface (API), and leverage everything it offers to deliver the bulk of the functionality needed to solve the problem.
The most challenging step, primarily due to the grunt work and major human factor involved, is to test, qualify, learn, and select the third-party web application platforms to build your web solution. There are many qualifying factors, but the most important ones are:
Robust API - The most critical requirement of an API is its capability. It has to have the right combination of features to address current needs and additional functionality for future growth. How well the platform stays current with emerging technologies will be critical to how well the application we build that utilizes it remains current.
Clear API Documentation - To use the platform to its fullest, the documentation needs to be complete, clearly written, well organized, and highly searchable.
Responsive Support - You will have questions at some point; having good developer support is very important.
Longevity - The long-term viability of an application platform is critical to the longevity of the solution built.
Impeccable UI and UX - No compromises here. The user interface design and user experience must align with design quality standards.
Take full advantage of everything an API offers, and develop the innovations needed for the immediate goal. With this strategy, you'll only develop the characteristics that make your product unique vs. reinventing the wheel.
A significant benefit of adequately vetting and integrating with the right 3rd party platform is that you offload the responsibility to keep up with ever-changing technology by leaving it to its developers. They enhance, iterate, and improve the functionality based on user feedback and technology evolution; you maintain the API integration to support the new features.
Users will never be grateful for removing functionality from an application, all the more reason to build less functionality from the start. Learn from user behavior after an initial launch, listen to user requests, prioritize based on demand and add functionality your users need.