Applications such as Expedia, Amazon, Netflix or Facebook are using an API that facilitates the sharing data from one application to another. There are hundreds of APIs for many fields like finance, social network, payments and e-commerce. Nowadays, the fastest-growing category APIs is sharing and analyzing of data across various applications which is a place the characteristics of the API determine the value of the application or deem it untenable for use in the real world. But how could APIs connect each application together, let’s us take a deep dive into the world of APIs.
API stand for Application Programming Interface which includes three important components
- Procedures: Known as routine which refer to the specific tasks or functions a program performs. For example: Facebook provides a search API for developers to examine data for analytical purpose
- Protocols: The format is used to communicate data between applications. However application might not have the same format
- Tools: Simply put – building blocks which is the recipe to construct new program
APIs are needed to bring applications together to perform a designed function which allows to use, share and execute data. APIs act as middle man, this allows developers to build new functions between applications and businesses use on a daily basis.
How APIs actually work?
Application: Enterprise businesses and corporation rely onto user financial data, inventory levels and purchase order confirmation back and forth between suppliers, customers and partners. Consumers and business depend on mobile application, spending much time per day on smartphone and tablet apps to exchange businesses with partner and customers.
Programming: Application relies on programming. The application does not make itself. In other words, we would not be able to make new application without developers who write the code to create, testing and design the application software and user interface.
Interface: This is where users and application interact with each other
API is important that without it we would not be able to order stuff from Amazon or personalize your favorite Google homepage. The simple way to understand APIs is to understand that API is an interface that let this application talk to another inside the application via commands designed by programmers.
Types of APIs
- Rest APIs: known as RESTful APIs, stands for Representational State Transfer. It has grown in popularity of late, as an essential part of Web Services. It’s designed for developers to perform requests and receive responses via HTTP. There are four types of HTTP commands that REST is based on which are GET, PUT, POST, and DELETE. Instagram uses API for users to pull up information and pictures
- SOAP APIs: Stands for Simple Object Access Protocol. SOAP is a protocol that is defined by a standard. It is dependent on XML-based systems and programming, has larger and more expensive data. Despite the disadvantages, SOAP provides better security for users.
- RPC APIs: Remote Procedure Call was the earliest form of APIs. They are designed to execute the block of code on different servers.
APIs are running data for business every day. They give businesses and users the flexibility to increase productivity and improve security. Taking advantage of APIs can help them have innovative approaches. While the potential is undeniable, efficiency is still another matter.
Source:
https://www.cleo.com/blog/knowledge-base-what-is-an-api
From the blog CS@Worcester – Nin by hpnguyen27 and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.