GDS API discovery highlights path to smarter Government data sharing

A discovery project by the Government Digital Service (GDS) is laying the groundwork for more connected, efficient, and secure data sharing across the public sector. The findings, drawn from an intensive eight-week API discovery led by GDS and its delivery partner Scrumconnect, reveal both the potential and the challenges of adopting API-first approaches across UK government departments.

This work directly supports the government’s wider digital reform agenda, including the Blueprint for a Modern Digital Government and the six-point plan for digital transformation. It also responds to concerns identified in the State of Digital Government Review, which highlighted the underuse of valuable data within and between departments.

The API discovery aimed to better understand API maturity across departments and Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs), identify common blockers, and grow the community of practice around APIs.

Key insights from the discovery

The research found wide variation in API maturity across government. While some teams have adopted API-first approaches with strong technical delivery, others remain reliant on manual data-sharing processes and legacy infrastructure. Common pain points included:

• Inconsistent API standards and limited documentation
  
  
• Manual data sharing processes, creating inefficiencies and versioning issues
  
  
• Security, governance and compliance concerns, especially in sensitive domains
  
  
• Fragmented data discoverability, with underdeveloped catalogues and ownership clarity
  
  

Where next?

Encouragingly, the API community saw a sharp increase in participation—from just a handful of attendees to over 30 active members by late 2024. A proposal is now underway to support departments with the design, delivery, and governance of high-quality APIs.

This discovery lays the foundation for a cross-government push towards modern data sharing - critical for delivering efficient services, protecting sensitive information, and unlocking innovation at scale.