APIs

What is an API?

API stands for Application Programming Interface.

An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of rules and protocols that allows different software applications to communicate with each other. APIs provide a way for developers to access the functionality of another piece of software, such as a web service, and use that functionality in their own applications. APIs are used for many reasons, including:

• Simplifying development: By using APIs, developers can access the functionality of other software without having to understand the details of how that software works. This can save time and effort when building new applications.
• Enabling integration: APIs allow different software applications to work together, even if they were not originally designed to do so. This can help businesses integrate their systems and data, improving efficiency and productivity.

An API enables communication between an Application and a Server. In a restaurant analogy, the Application is the customer, the waiter is the API, and the kitchen is the Server.

An Application Programming Interface (API) is a particular set of rules ('code') and specifications that software programs can follow to communicate with each other. It is a software intermediary that allows two applications to talk to each other.

An API is a contract provided by one piece of software to another.

An API is a structured request and response.

To use an API you need to know and follow the specification. You refer to the API's documentation to see how to format requests.

A List of Free to Use APIs at GitHub

Simple API Example

See https://http.cat/

Form your requests as follows:

https://http.cat/[status_code]

e.g. https://http.cat/301

The request is made by the Application (the browser) and a custom image for status code 301 is returned by the Server.

Transport Protocol

APIs usually use http as the transport protocol. This makes them awesome because most programming languages, e.g. PHP, C# can use http.

GET Requests

POST Requests

PUT

PATCH

DELETE

COPY

HEAD

OPTIONS

LINK

API Companies

Postman - API platform. A tool for working with web-based APIs.

Mulesoft - Integration platform.

Spotify API

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Spotify API | Spotify Web API Object Model

Connect to API Example

Most APIs require an API key.

https://technologyadvice.com/blog/information-technology/how-to-use-an-api/

REST API

Web Services allow interoperability between systems over the internet. REST is a software architectural style for creating web services.

REST stands for Representational State Transfer, see Wikipedia explanation of REST.

API stands for Application Programming Interface.

REST relies on a stateless client-server protocol, usually HTTP.

REST can be used with any programming language that can make HTTP requests, which is most of them.

Note REST API and RESTful API are essentially the same thing.

HTTP Methods:

GET - Retrieve data

POST - Submit data to be processed

PUT - Update

DELETE - Delete

General Notes

You have an endpoint URL that you can send data to via querystrings.

Resources

ASP.NET Web APIs - Build secure REST APIs on any platform with C#.

Develop an ASP.NET Core web app that consumes an API

Apigee API Management from Google - An API management solution from Google that helps companies with implementing their APIs and building modern applications quickly.

ProgrammableWeb.com - For general information about APIs and a directory of APIs available.

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