#doFIXdifferently

Why process is more important the fewer customers you connect

Why process is more important the fewer customers you connect 820 538 FixSpec
In this week’s #doFIXdifferently, Chris Lees talks about process and why it’s so important to invest in your process ahead of time, even if you don’t have many new customers coming on board. How do you use the downtime to build for the future and make it easier for yourself?

What’s the difference between FIX and REST APIs?

What’s the difference between FIX and REST APIs? 1440 944 FixSpec
One of the trends that we are seeing with more recent trading venues (which tend to be crypto exchanges), is that they are starting to offer both REST/Websocket and FIX interfaces. You might be asking why have both, and what’s the difference between them?

Is It Too Late To Save FIX?

Is It Too Late To Save FIX? 1440 944 FixSpec
FIX Protocol has undoubtedly been a success story in the industry. When it was launched it was well ahead of its time but as the protocol matures, progress has understandably slowed. At a time when the wider API ecosystem is booming, Chris Lees asks whether the FIX Protocol can remain relevant for the long term.

Five Principles For Better FIX Connectivity

Five Principles For Better FIX Connectivity 1440 944 FixSpec
Many firms that we speak to secretly struggle with FIX connectivity. Much like a duck moving across water, the internal reality of FIX connectivity is often quite different, which is why I suggest that firms secretly struggle with connectivity. For almost a decade, we’ve been talking to firms about what works and what doesn’t, and we’ve distilled these down into five principles for successful FIX connectivity.

Watch: How to create customer-specific specs, and why?

Watch: How to create customer-specific specs, and why? 1440 944 FixSpec
Here at FixSpec we think of API documentation as a “contract” between two parties. It describes available messages, fields, and enumerations and workflows. It tells readers that if they send X in, they can expect Y in return. Customer-specific specs take this a step further by removing anything that a specific customer doesn’t use, and extends the documentation to capture bespoke customisations and transformations. This has a number of benefits to both the sender and receiver.

Watch: Why FIX log files are your gold mine

Watch: Why FIX log files are your gold mine 1440 944 FixSpec
In this week’s #doFIXdifferently, we take a look at how firms currently use log files, and how they can be a gold mine of information about your API and your customers. Today logs are everywhere and easily accessible, and if you have a question about how your API is behaving, then logs are often the first port of call. Some firms are using tools like Elastic Search of Splunk to manage and understand logs. But what do you actually do with them?

Watch: Automated development pipelines in FIX

Watch: Automated development pipelines in FIX 700 459 FixSpec
Chris Lees explores what a more automated vision of a FIX pipeline might look like. A rapidly-emerging trend in software deployment is the idea of continuous integration and deployment. Done correctly, it can dramatically accelerate your software lifecycle without compromising testing. In this episode, Chris walks through how continual integration/deployment might apply to the #FIXProtocol world. And identify machine-readable documentation as THE critical lynchpin to making it work.

Mini-Series: What is a FIX log parser?

Mini-Series: What is a FIX log parser? 700 459 FixSpec
In this mini-series as part of #doFIXdifferently​, Chris Lees introduces FIX log parsers; what they are, how they can help you and your team, and takes a look at some examples of parsers currently available.

Watch: FIX connectivity teams in a fragmented world

Watch: FIX connectivity teams in a fragmented world 700 459 FixSpec
What does your FIX team look like in 2021? It’s safe to say that our working environments have changed somewhat since this time last year. But how have teams had to adapt to the current status quo, and how can FIX teams remain united when working remotely? In this episode of #doFIXdifferently, Chris Lees shares his top tips for managing a FIX connectivity team in a fragmented world.

Watch: FIX Customer Onboarding vs Production Support

Watch: FIX Customer Onboarding vs Production Support 700 459 FixSpec
Why are more firms merging their production support and FIX onboarding functions? What are the advantages of re-using niche skills and tools? We explore the reasons why this is happening and argue the importance of giving production support better tooling, to allow them to handle more first-line FIX support which – in turn – can free up your FIX onboarders to bring on more customers faster.