DEVELOPER FIELD GUIDE · BY APIDECK
Choose well.
Build with evidence.
Accounting APIs, agent tools and the decisions between them. Practical guides with publisher sources, tradeoffs and a concrete next step.
12 articles · Recommendations are editorial; product facts link to their sources.
How to choose an accounting API
Choose against the transactions your customers need to complete, then verify each operation and field in their accounting system. A provider logo or connector count is not a coverage test.
Read the guideDesign a reliable accounting data sync
Use a resumable initial import, incremental change processing and periodic reconciliation. Webhooks shorten the delay; they do not remove the need to recover missed or duplicated changes.
Read the guidePlan an ERP API integration before writing the connector
Identify the exact ERP product, deployment, company scope and customization model first. Prove one representative workflow in the customer’s environment before estimating the rest of the integration.
Read the guideHow to evaluate an official MCP server
Check publisher ownership, the exact implementation, available tools and connection requirements separately. “Official” identifies the publisher; it does not guarantee complete API coverage or safe permissions.
Read the guideMCP authentication and transport: a setup guide
Choose the transport your client can run, then follow the server’s documented credential flow. Local stdio, hosted HTTP, OAuth and API keys are separate choices rather than interchangeable setup labels.
Read the guideAPI or MCP for an agent integration?
Use a direct API when your application owns a fixed workflow and precise request control. Use MCP when reusable tool discovery across agent clients is valuable. An MCP server can still call the same API underneath.
Read the guideHow to evaluate a unified API provider
Evaluate a unified API against your required connector operations, data semantics and customer onboarding flow. A common schema reduces repeated integration work only where it preserves the behavior your product needs.
Read the guideEmbed an MCP marketplace in your product
Build discovery, connection setup and tool execution as distinct stages. A catalog card helps users choose a server; your product must still own authorization, tenant isolation, persistence and the execution policy.
Read the guideQuickBooks Online vs Xero: integration design
Choose the accounting system your customers actually use, then compare the integration contract. QuickBooks realm IDs and Xero tenant IDs both require explicit company scoping; their API models should be tested separately.
Read the comparisonNetSuite vs Business Central: API integration scope
Compare the exact NetSuite account or Business Central environment your customer uses. Standard REST resources are only the starting point; permissions, company scope and custom fields determine the real integration work.
Read the comparisonRemote vs local MCP: which should you use?
Choose remote MCP for a provider-hosted connection your client can authenticate to. Choose a local server when you need local execution or the supported integration ships as a process. Evaluate credentials and permissions in either case.
Read the comparisonUnified API vs direct integration
Use a unified API when a shared model covers repeated workflows across customer systems. Use direct APIs when provider-specific behavior dominates. Validate the difficult cases before choosing either architecture.
Read the comparison