Adapter Labs vs API Consultancies
Stop paying for API specifications and strategy documents. Get intelligent, production-ready APIs built, deployed, and integrated in weeks.
The API Consulting Lifecycle
Discovery
Analyze requirements
Month 1-2
Design
Create specifications
Month 3-4
Document
Write guidelines
Month 5-6
Now What?
Find developers
Starting over
Implementation vs Consultation
| Factor | Adapter Labs | API Consultancies |
|---|---|---|
| Deliverables | Intelligent APIs in production | API specifications and docs |
| Implementation | We build everything | You implement their designs |
| Timeline | 2-4 weeks to deployed API | 2-3 months for specifications |
| Engagement Structure | Fixed project delivery | Hourly consulting engagements |
| Testing | Automated tests included | Test strategy documentation |
| API Governance | Pragmatic, delivery-focused | Enterprise governance frameworks |
| Integration Support | Full integration implementation | Integration guidelines only |
| Documentation | OpenAPI/Swagger included | Extensive documentation focus |
Deliverables
Implementation
Timeline
Engagement Structure
Testing
API Governance
Integration Support
Documentation
Why API Consulting Projects Fail
The Specification Spiral
Problem: 6 months perfecting API specs, zero APIs built
✓ Our approach: We ship v1 in 2 weeks, iterate from there
The Standards Paralysis
Problem: Endless debates about REST vs GraphQL vs gRPC
✓ Our approach: We pick what works and start building
The Documentation Dungeon
Problem: Beautiful docs for APIs that don't exist yet
✓ Our approach: Working code with generated documentation
The Governance Gridlock
Problem: API review boards that delay every decision
✓ Our approach: Ship fast, refine continuously
The Implementation Gap
Problem: Perfect designs, but who's going to build them?
✓ Our approach: We design by building
The Version Vortex
Problem: Months planning v2 before v1 exists
✓ Our approach: Launch v1, learn, then improve
API Development Reality Check
What Consultants Deliver
- 📄 API design documents
- 📊 Technology evaluations
- 🗺️ API roadmaps
- 📋 Governance frameworks
- 📚 Best practice guides
- 🎯 Strategy presentations
- 📑 OpenAPI specifications
Result: Perfect plans, no working APIs
What We Actually Build
- ✅ REST/GraphQL APIs live
- ✅ Authentication implemented
- ✅ Rate limiting active
- ✅ Webhooks configured
- ✅ SDK/client libraries
- ✅ Monitoring & logging
- ✅ Auto-generated docs
Result: Working APIs in production
APIs We Actually Ship
Public APIs
- • Customer-facing REST APIs
- • Developer portals
- • Rate limiting & quotas
- • API key management
Internal APIs
- • Microservices communication
- • Service mesh integration
- • Event-driven architectures
- • Data synchronization
Integration APIs
- • Partner integrations
- • Webhook endpoints
- • Legacy system bridges
- • API aggregation layers
Right Approach for Your Needs
Choose API Consultants When:
- You need enterprise API governance
- Building an API program from scratch
- Need vendor-neutral assessment
- Have developers but need strategy
Choose Adapter Labs When:
- You need working APIs quickly
- Want implementation, not advice
- Have specific integration needs
- Prefer building to planning
- Need end-to-end delivery