Buy Vs. Build: Every CTO’s Dilemma

Seems like every CTO needs to decide at one time or another whether to buy or build a particular feature.  Here’s the key: if you’re adding something unique to your own intellectual property, build it yourself.  But if it exists out there — no need to build and maintain it.

That’s where APIs come in.   Think of an API like a Lego block that locks into your site or product and gives it a particular feature.  For instance, among other features, Ziggeo’s API gives a site the ability to record or play videos — and Twilio’s API sends a text message to a particular telephone number. These features would be difficult to build yourself but relatively easy to integrate by just copying a few lines of code.  

There’s not only the cost of building a feature — there’s also a cost to maintaining it.  Devices may be released that require different technology so in order for a feature to continue to work well, engineering resources need to spent maintaining the feature. API companies ensure their technology remains up to date.  

As CTOs, we need to decide where to dedicate our resources.  Best to dedicate resources to what builds and accrues value to your product.  Let API companies that specialize in those features handle what they do best.