Announcing our API backend services

Today we're announcing a new line of services for building bespoke Web APIs for our clients.

Our API backend services are aimed at mobile and frontend development agencies who need secure, reliable, and easy-to-integrate cloud services. We handle the build and hosting of your API, and work together with your developers to let you focus on creating really great apps, without having to spend time thinking about managing and maintaining the backend services they communicate with.

Because our APIs are built with the Django REST framework toolkit they all include the unique, web-browseable features that it provides. Being able to browse your Web API, read its documentation, and interact with it directly through a web browser is a huge usability win that your developers will love.

If you'd like to talk to us about our API services and how we might be able to help build your next app, please get in touch.

Building REST framework, version 2

Django REST framework is an open source project, and was originally released in January 2011. At the time it was something of a side project, dedicated to demonstrating how it would be possible to create Web APIs that could be accessed not just programmatically using the command line, but also directly through a Web browser.

The project was popular and gradually grew, but we've got high standards here at DabApps, and we had some pretty definite ideas about how we thought a Web API framework for Django ought to work. Work started on a substantial redesign, and with some time in the office dedicated to getting a new release completed, version 2.0 was released on the last day of October 2012.

To give some idea about just how much work went into designing REST framework, the first commit on the version 2 branch was made 9 months before the 2.0 release, and the final merge on the last day of October 2012 consisted of more than 500 individual commits, adding 20,000 lines of code and documentation, and removing another 10,000.

Looking to the future.

The response to Django REST framework 2 has been incredible. The number of watchers on GitHub is growing rapidly, the community around the project is becoming incredibly active, and we now have nearly 100 individuals who have contributed patches to the code and documentation.

There's a lot more on the horizon too. Progress on Python 3 compatiblity is nearing completion, thanks to some great work from Xavier Ordoquy. There's a 2.x roadmap full of some really great features we're planning on completing during 2013. We're also planning on running sprints at the upcoming DjangoCon event in Warsaw.

Open source software is part of our DNA at DabApps. We're excited to start offering paid services based on Django REST framework, as it'll allow us to dedicate even more time to making it better for everyone.