What an API integration project actually involves, why some integrations are simple and others take weeks, and what to check before assuming two tools 'just connect.'
Most business software exposes an API. An integration project connects two systems through their APIs so data flows automatically instead of being manually re-entered.
It takes longer when one side has a poorly documented API, when data models don't match cleanly, or when the integration needs to handle errors and retries gracefully.
The part that determines whether an integration works reliably is error handling — what happens when the other system is down or returns unexpected data.
Adding AI capabilities into existing software is also an API integration, but the integration needs to validate AI responses rather than assume they always come back perfectly structured.
Confirm both systems expose an API, check whether a pre-built connector exists, and clarify what should happen when something fails.