--- published: true layout: post title: Lack of Investment in API Discovery Drives API Redundancy and Inefficiencies date: 2025-03-06T09:00:00.000Z tags: - Visibility - Discovery - Redundancy - Inefficiencies image: https://kinlane-productions2.s3.amazonaws.com/algorotoscope-master/uncle-sam-containers-white.jpg --- Responding to another excellent comment on [the importance of having an API source of truth](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7303113564439957504/), as well as [providing a direct URL for how visibility and control is at odds with power and control])https://apievangelist.com/2025/03/06/api-visibility-and-control-is-at-odds-with-power-and-control), I wanted a "reusable" (😃) link I could share to highlight the importance of of API discovery that Shaugh McIntosh emphasized in his comment on LinkedIn.

I would add that when an API can't be found (poor naming, poor description, no single-source etc) that a project team could decide that it doesn't exist and set about estimating the build of a new one! Even if it doesn't make it through to build (API sprawl) there is effort that has been expended on design, estimation etc. that could have been saved.

I think I will share your article every time I have the same conversations.

While there is no money to be made in API discovery, something I can attest to with [APIs.json](https://apisjson.org/) and point to with [the demise of ProgrammableWeb](https://apievangelist.com/2022/10/15/programmableweb-is-shutting-down/), there is a ton of money to be lost in the creation and operation of redundant enterprise APIs. Shaugh is spot on with what the top contributor to API sprawl is across enterprises who refuse to bake API discovery into their operations. API discovery always seems like such a nerdy thing only developers will want to do (we do love finding APIs), but can you imagine if our physical warehouses and retail stores operated like our enterprise APIs do?