Hey Reid, thanks for your comment and nice words! Here’s my answer: it depends.

My opinion here is that you must be the model engineer or designer, and then use whatever tools are out there to build that model. If your model is fairly simple or the API allows for a lot of customization, chances are that using the API is enough, as long as it allows you to build the model you want.

But if you’re trying to build a complex, highly customized model, using an API will probably not get you to your goal.

I always strive to write my own code because it’s more fun, but bear in mind that by “write my own code” I’m not saying I don’t rely on libraries and frameworks designed to make models.

Hope that solved your questions and, if not, please reach out again :)