API development and software integrations in Bastia
API development lets your software exchange data automatically, with no re-keying or manual exports. We design and build these connections for businesses and public bodies, in Corsica and beyond: your tools finally work together, and every piece of information is entered only once.
What is an API, and what are software integrations for?
An API, or application programming interface, is a standard gateway that one piece of software opens to others so they can request information from it or send information to it. When your online shop passes an order to your management system, or your calendar updates after a booking, an API is almost always at work.
A software integration links your tools through these interfaces: you decide which data flows, in which direction, when, and what happens if something goes wrong. API development means creating an interface for your own software, so that your partners, customers or mobile apps can connect to it.
Two acronyms come up often. An ERP is the software that runs the business side: stock, purchasing, invoicing. A CRM manages customer relationships: contacts, prospects, history of exchanges. Connecting the two is a classic integration project.
Signs it is time to connect your software
- 01
Re-keying
The same customer, order or invoice typed into several tools, with a risk of error at every copy.
- 02
Manual exports
Files exported and imported every week by the one person who knows how.
- 03
Mismatches
Stock shown online that does not match what is on the shelf, a customer chased for a payment already made.
- 04
Reports nobody can produce
Figures scattered across several systems that have to be pieced together by hand to get an overall view.
ERP, CRM and business tool integration examples by sector
- 01
Retail and online shops
Online shop, till and management software in sync: stock, prices and orders up to date everywhere, invoices generated automatically.
- 02
Tourism and hospitality
Booking platforms, property management software and calendar linked together, to avoid double bookings and send practical information automatically to guests visiting Corsica.
- 03
Services and professional practices
Website form linked to the CRM, appointment booking, e-signature and invoicing chained together with no re-keying.
- 04
Industry and logistics
Orders passed to carriers, shipment tracking fed back into the ERP, alerts in case of delay.
- 05
Local authorities
Data exchanges between departments, online services linked to internal systems, publication of open data.
- 06
Software publishers
A public API for your software or SaaS, documented so that your customers and partners can plug it into their own tools.
How we run an API integration project
Real time is part of our everyday practice. Using SSE, a technology that lets a server push continuous updates to an open page, Hameau Vivant broadcasts its events to every visitor the moment they happen. La Forge, our software factory driven by autonomous agents, orchestrates several tasks in parallel: a coordination challenge close to that of integrating separate systems.
- 01
Understand
An inventory of your software, the data exchanged, volumes and frequencies, what happens today when information is missing, plus your budget and timeline.
- 02
Design
Checking the APIs each vendor provides, a data-flow diagram approved with you, rules to apply in case of conflict or error.
- 03
Build
Developing the connectors, testing on dummy data then on a real sample, with you following progress.
- 04
Launch and support
Gradual go-live, monitoring of exchanges, alerts on failure, adjustments when a vendor changes its API.
Security and reliability of data exchanges
- 01
Authentication
Each connection uses access keys that are stored securely and limited to the permissions strictly required.
- 02
Encryption
Data travels over encrypted connections, and sensitive information is never exposed unnecessarily.
- 03
Error handling
A system that is down, a record that is incomplete: the integration must retry, report the problem and never lose or duplicate information.
- 04
Traceability
A log of exchanges shows what was sent, when and with what result.
- 05
Dependence on vendors
The APIs of commercial software change over time and may be capped or chargeable. We check their terms before designing anything, and isolate each connector so that a change stays contained.
- 06
Ownership and documentation
The connector code and the description of the data flows are handed over under terms written into the quote, so you always know how your data moves.
What drives the cost of an API integration
Every integration is costed after a first conversation, with a clear quote. The factors that affect the budget are always the same.
- 01
Number of systems and flows
Linking two tools in one direction is a very different job from keeping five systems in sync both ways.
- 02
Quality of the existing APIs
A complete, documented API makes the work simpler; without one, file-based exchanges are sometimes the only option.
- 03
Complexity of the rules
Mapping data between systems, handling duplicates, deciding which side wins in a conflict.
- 04
Volume and frequency
Real-time exchanges or scheduled synchronisation, and the amount of data to process.
- 05
Support after go-live
Monitoring, maintenance and adapting to changes made by vendors.
After go-live: integrations that are monitored
An integration is not something you plug in and forget. Vendors update their software, your volumes change, new tools arrive. We monitor the exchanges, get alerted when one fails and adapt the connectors whenever needed, so your teams keep working with up-to-date data. When you add a new tool, it plugs into the existing flows instead of starting from scratch.
Technologies and methods
- REST APIs
- Webhooks
- Node.js
- TypeScript
- Real time (SSE)
- Docker
- Logging
Frequently asked questions
My software has no API. Can it still be connected?
Often, yes, by other means: automated file exports and imports, database access where the vendor allows it, or reading documents received by email. These options are less robust than an API, and we explain their limits before you decide.
Can an ERP and a CRM from different vendors be connected?
Yes, that is exactly what an integration is for, provided each one offers an API or another means of exchange. We check the options and each vendor's terms at the design stage.
Do the exchanges happen in real time?
It depends on the need. Some flows must be immediate, such as stock levels or bookings; others can be batched at regular intervals. Real time is more demanding, so we keep it for data where it brings a genuine benefit.
What happens if one of the systems goes down?
The integration is designed for that: pending data is held and sent once the service is back, and an alert notifies the right person. The aim is that no information is lost along the way.
Can you build an API so our partners can access our data?
Yes. We design the API, its access rules and its documentation, so that your partners or customers can connect securely and see only the data that concerns them.