Adaptive Architectures • Marty Pitt • GOTO 2023

Automating integration with semantic metadata and query language reduces manual work and eliminates glue code, enabling machines to read and build upon APIs, and promoting integration without tightly coupled systems.

Key takeaways
  • Glue code is unnecessary and time-consuming to write and maintain.
  • Glue code is often not reused and breaks easily.
  • Automating glue code with semantic metadata and query language can reduce the need for manual work.
  • API specs should be enriched with semantic metadata to enable machines to read and build upon them.
  • Consumer-defined contracts can enable semantic data consumption and reduce the need for glue code.
  • Producing semantic data contracts can enable integration without glue code.
  • TAXI (TaxiQL) is a query language that allows for querying and consuming semantic data contracts.
  • Orbital is a tool that automates glue code generation using semantic metadata and query language.
  • Manual integration work involves creating mental maps and building connections between systems.
  • APIs are great at describing systems, but often don’t provide enough information for machines to build upon.
  • Semantic metadata can be embedded in APIs to enable automated integration.
  • Glue code is a wrong approach to integration and can lead to tightly coupled systems.
  • API evolution can lead to versioning and integration hell.
  • Machine-readable API specs can enable automated integration and reduced maintenance.
  • Whole-code reuse is not often achievable due to architectural differences.
  • Event-driven architectures can lead to distributed systems with complex integration needs.
  • Glue code is a bottleneck in modern software development.