Question 1

What is API integration architecture?

Accepted Answer

API integration architecture is the design of how software systems connect and communicate via APIs. It defines the protocols (REST, GraphQL, Webhooks), data transformation patterns, security model (OAuth2, API keys, JWT), orchestration patterns (sequential, parallel, fan-out), and error handling strategy for a connected application ecosystem.

Question 2

What is the difference between REST webhooks and polling?

Accepted Answer

Polling is when a system periodically queries another system for new data (e.g., every 5 minutes). Webhooks are push-based — the source system sends an HTTP POST to your endpoint the moment an event occurs, enabling sub-100ms response times. SyncRivo, Workato, and MuleSoft use webhook-first architecture. Zapier and Make.com use polling for most connectors.

Question 3

What is idempotency in API integration?

Accepted Answer

Idempotency means that repeating the same API request produces the same result without side effects. In integration architecture, idempotent endpoints allow safe retries on network failures without creating duplicate records. Enterprise iPaaS platforms like SyncRivo implement idempotency keys to guarantee exactly-once processing.

Question 4

What is OAuth2 in the context of SaaS integration?

Accepted Answer

OAuth2 is the standard protocol for authorising integration platforms to access SaaS APIs on behalf of users. In enterprise iPaaS, each integration stores separate OAuth2 tokens per user and per connected application — never a shared credential. SyncRivo, Workato, and MuleSoft all use OAuth2 with proper token refresh and revocation handling.

Question 5

What is API rate limiting and how does an iPaaS handle it?

Accepted Answer

API rate limits restrict how many requests a system will accept per time window. Enterprise iPaaS platforms handle rate limits with automatic throttling, exponential backoff retry logic, and request queuing. SyncRivo implements adaptive rate limit handling for each connected platform (Microsoft Graph, Slack, Zoom, etc.) to prevent integration failures.

Question 6

What is event-driven integration architecture?

Accepted Answer

Event-driven integration means systems publish events when state changes, and integration platforms subscribe to those events and trigger downstream actions. This is the architecture behind real-time SaaS integration. SyncRivo, Workato, MuleSoft, and Boomi all support event-driven architectures via webhooks, message queues, and change data capture.

Question 7

How does data transformation work in API integration?

Accepted Answer

Data transformation maps fields between source and destination schemas, converts data types, filters records, aggregates values, and enriches payloads. Enterprise iPaaS platforms provide visual mapping tools and code-based transformation. SyncRivo handles field mapping between Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zoom, and Webex message schemas automatically.

Question 8

What are best practices for enterprise API integration architecture?

Accepted Answer

Best practices: (1) Webhook-first design for real-time processing, (2) OAuth2 per integration, never shared API keys, (3) idempotency for reliable retry logic, (4) async processing with dead-letter queuing, (5) schema versioning to handle API changes, (6) centralised monitoring and alerting, (7) separation of integration logic from business logic.

Property	Webhooks (Push)	Polling (Pull)
Latency	<100ms (real-time)	1–15 min (schedule-based)
API quota usage	Minimal (event-driven)	High (constant queries)
Error handling	HMAC signature + retry queue	Re-fetch on next poll
Scalability	Linear with event volume	Quadratic with app count
Enterprise fit	Yes	Acceptable for non-critical only
Used by	SyncRivo, Workato, MuleSoft	Zapier, Make.com (most connectors)

API Integration ArchitectureWebhooks, OAuth2, Orchestration & Reliability Patterns (2026)

TL;DR

Webhooks vs Polling: The Core Decision

6 Core Integration Architecture Patterns

Event-driven (Webhook-first)

Request-response (REST API)

Fan-out / broadcast

Orchestration pipeline

Error handling + dead-letter queuing

Security layer

Enterprise API Integration: Best Practices

FAQ — API Integration Architecture

SyncRivo handles the architecture for you

Three-Platform Bridges