Should You Have the Option of Not Building an API?

You can still build an API if that is what you would like to do. Most people aren't very good at architecture I think most businesses don't have a good architect. If so much of the focus is on render render render render then the shape of the application will take the shape of the render rather than how things are oriented. You've always had this option in all servers and frameworks but it's not really taking anything away from them.