Integration
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A connection between two software products that allows them to share data and work together.
An integration connects two software products so they work together. When your deployment tool triggers a Slack notification, that is an integration. When your monitoring tool sends alerts to PagerDuty, that is an integration. When your CRM syncs data with your marketing platform, that is an integration.
Integrations matter because no product exists in isolation. Developers and businesses use dozens of tools. They expect those tools to work together. A product that does not integrate with the tools its users already depend on has a significant adoption barrier.
Integrations come in different depths. Shallow integrations (webhooks, Zapier) pass basic data between products. Deep integrations (native APIs, embedded UI) create seamless workflows where the boundary between products is invisible to the user.
Examples
A native integration between a CI tool and a monitoring tool.
The CI tool sends deployment events to the monitoring tool via API. The monitoring tool overlays deployment markers on its dashboards. Engineers can see exactly when a deployment happened and whether it affected error rates. Both products are more useful together.
A webhook integration for a simple use case.
The product sends a webhook to the customer's endpoint whenever a deployment completes. The customer uses it to trigger their own post-deploy tests. A few lines of code connect two systems. No deep integration needed.
An integration drives product adoption.
The company builds a Slack integration that lets developers deploy from Slack. 40% of users who install the Slack integration are still active 90 days later, compared to 25% of users without it. The integration makes the product stickier because it is embedded in the developer's daily workflow.
Frequently asked questions
How do you decide which integrations to build?
Ask your customers which tools they use alongside yours. Analyze their existing tech stack. Prioritize integrations with the most commonly used tools in your ICP's workflow. Start with the top 3-5 integrations and expand based on demand.
Should integrations be built by your team or by partners?
High-value, strategic integrations should be built and maintained by your team. Long-tail integrations can be built by partners or the community. Provide good APIs and documentation so others can build integrations without your direct involvement.
Related terms
A storefront where developers and users discover and install third-party integrations, extensions, or apps built for a platform.
The network of tools, libraries, integrations, and community resources that surround a developer platform.
A company whose product integrates with yours, creating mutual value through a shared technical connection.
A software product that other developers build upon, extending its capabilities through APIs, integrations, and custom applications.
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