Comparing web APIs with service-oriented architecture and enterprise application integration

Nearly all enterprises have multiple applications that are the system of record for their key data, and business functions upon which the enterprise is built. It is no surprise, therefore, that we see organizations wanting to progressively surface these valuable assets in these operational systems to broader audiences within the enterprise or beyond. However, it has taken time. In this tutorial, we will chart the key stages in this evolution, help you to evaluate where you are as an enterprise on that journey, and consider what actions you might want to take to mature your integration architecture towards, or indeed beyond, API exposure.

Let's take a brief look at the history of exposure of a business function, then we'll take a more detailed look at the differences between the two most recent concepts, service-oriented architecture (SOA) and web APIs.