Introduction:
Today we are going to know about API, many of us know about API but many of us don't know what API is. So that is not a problem anymore , today we are Going to discuss about what API is , it's types , it's importance and many more things about API. So let's start.
What is API?
What is full form of API?
What are the types of API?
What is REST API?
What are the benefits of Rest API?
What is WEB API?
What are API integrations?
What are the most popular API integrations?
What is API with examples?
Why is API used?
How does API work?
What are the importance of API?
What are the advantages of APIs?
What are the Types of API request?
What is an API endpoint and why is it important?
How to create an API?
What is API testing?
How to use an API?
What is postman API?
OVERVIEW:
1. Basically APIs are mechanisms that enable two software components to communicate with each other using a set of definitions and protocols. For example, the weather bureau’s software system contains daily weather data. The weather app on your phone “talks” to this system via APIs and shows you daily weather updates on your phone.
The basic definition of API is that it is a software intermediary that allows two applications to talk to each other.
2. API stands for An Application Programming Interface. In the context of APIs, the word Application refers to any software with a distinct function. Interface can be thought of as a contract of service between two applications. This contract defines how the two communicate with each other using requests and responses.
3. Types of APIs: APIs are classified both according to their architecture and scope of use. API architecture is usually explained in terms of client and server. The application sending the request is called the client, and the application sending the response is called the server. So in the weather example, the bureau’s weather database is the server, and the mobile app is the client.
There are four different ways that APIs can work depending on when and why they were created.
•SOAP APIs: These APIs use Simple Object Access Protocol. Client and server exchange messages using XML. This is a less flexible API that was more popular in the past.
•RPC APIs: These APIs are called Remote Procedure Calls. The client completes a function (or procedure) on the server, and the server sends the output back to the client.
•Websocket APIs: Websocket API is another modern web API development that uses JSON objects to pass data. A WebSocket API supports two-way communication between client apps and the server. The server can send callback messages to connected clients, making it more efficient than REST API.
•REST APIs: These are the most popular and flexible APIs found on the web today. The client sends requests to the server as data. The server uses this client input to start internal functions and returns output data back to the client. Let’s look at REST APIs in more detail below.
Now, let’s take a look at the scope of use. There are also four types of APIs.
•Private APIs: These are internal to an enterprise and only used for connecting systems and data within the business.
•Public APIs: These are open to the public and may be used by anyone. There may or not be some authorization and cost associated with these types of APIs.
•Partner APIs: These are only accessible by authorized external developers to aid business-to-business partnerships.
•Composite APIs: These combine two or more different APIs to address complex system requirements or behaviors.
*Note down that among all these APIs REST API is one the most important API and it also uses a lot.
4. REST API: REST stands for Representational State Transfer. REST defines a set of functions like GET, PUT, DELETE, etc. that clients can use to access server data. Clients and servers exchange data using HTTP.
5. Some benefits of rest APIs: REST APIs offer four main benefits:
• Integration: APIs are used to integrate new applications with existing software systems. This increases development speed because each functionality doesn’t have to be written from scratch. You can use APIs to leverage existing code.
• Innovation: Entire industries can change with the arrival of a new app. Businesses need to respond quickly and support the rapid deployment of innovative services. They can do this by making changes at the API level without having to re-write the whole code.
• Expansion: APIs present a unique opportunity for businesses to meet their clients’ needs across different platforms. For example, maps API allows map information integration via websites, Android,iOS, etc. Any business can give similar access to their internal databases by using free or paid APIs.
• Ease of maintenance: The API acts as a gateway between two systems. Each system is obliged to make internal changes so that the API is not impacted. This way, any future code changes by one party do not impact the other party.
6. Web API: A Web API or Web Service API is an application processing interface between a web server and web browser. All web services are APIs but not all APIs are web services. REST API is a special type of Web API that uses the standard architectural style explained above.
The different terms around APIs, like Java API or service APIs, exist because historically, APIs were created before the world wide web. Modern web APIs are REST APIs and the terms can be used interchangeably.
7. API integrations: API integrations are software components that automatically update data between clients and servers. Some examples of API integrations are when automatic data sync to the cloud from your phone image gallery, or the time and date automatically sync on your laptop when you travel to another time zone. Enterprises can also use them to efficiently automate many system functions.
8. Some most popular API integrations are:
•Skyscanner Flight Search
•Open Weather Map
•API-FOOTBALL
•The Cocktail DB
•REST Countries v1
•Yahoo Finance
•Love Calculator
•URL Shortener Service
•NasaAPI
•Numbers
9. Examples of API: Some examples of APIs
•Twitter bot
•Log-in using XYZ
•weather snippets
•Pay with paypal
•Google maps
•Travel booking
•E-commerce
10. API is used Because APIs simplify how developers integrate new application components into an existing architecture, they help business and IT teams collaborate. Business needs often change quickly in response to ever shifting digital markets, where new competitors can change a whole industry with a new app.
11. An API is also an abstraction of the web server. The application (such as a website or a mobile app) will make an API call for a set of data to display for the end user to consume. The request is made via the API that accesses the web server to retrieve the requested data, which is populated in the user interface. This how API works.
12. Importance of APIs: APIs are surprisingly significant in the current world as they dictate how software developers create new applications that utilize web services like Facebook, Google Maps, and many more. APIs are also great time savers. They offer a tremendous level of accessibility in many ways.
If you are a Facebook user, you would know the ability to sign in to too many different applications and websites, merely using your facebook id. This is a feature that relies upon Facebook APIs to work.
On many businesses' websites, we can see social media icons, allowing us to share its content across Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and many more. These are nothing but links that call the APIs associated with each of them to allow users to share or tweet about it, all without leaving the site.
Not just personal use, but APIs are apparently, equally important for the B2B world as well. It can be a critical component in integrating data flows with customers and partner systems. It can help add increased flexibility to traditional types of robust exchange such as managed file transfer (MFT) and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). Exchanging documents.
13. The Advantages of APIs: There are many advantages of APIs. The top three of those are:
•Saves Developer’s time: APIs can save a considerable amount of time. It eliminates the task of writing endless lines of code, thus shorten the app development cycle and reducing the coding errors.
•Help Automate App Testing: With a faster application building process, the otherwise manual testing process gets automated, ensuring that one of the bugs remain undetected. Thus, helping developers deliver an app that stands high on both – quality and user expectations.
•Social Engagement: Social media are no longer a mode of entertainment; they are now a modern way of living. Connecting APIs of popular platforms like Facebook, Twitter, etc. allows the users to share the content, post comments, and leave reviews directly without having to create a different username.
14. Types of API request:
•Get
•Post
•Put
•Patch
•Delete
15. API endpoint and it's it's importance:
API endpoints are the final touchpoints in the API communication system. These include server URLs, services, and other specific digital locations from where information is sent and received between systems. API endpoints are critical to enterprises for two main reasons:
•Security: API endpoints make the system vulnerable to attack. API monitoring is crucial for preventing misuse.
•Performance: API endpoints, especially high traffic ones, can cause bottlenecks and affect system performance.
16. Tips to create an API:
Due diligence and effort are required to build an API that other developers will want to work with and trust. These are the five steps required for high-quality API design:
•Plan the API: API specifications, like OpenAPI, provide the blueprint for your API design. It is better to think about different use cases in advance and ensure the API adheres to current API development standards.
•Build the API: API designers prototype APIs using boilerplate code. Once the prototype is tested, developers can customize it to internal specifications.
•Test the API: API testing is the same as software testing and must be done to prevent bugs and defects. API testing tools can be used to strength test the API against cyber attacks.
•Document the API: While APIs are self-explanatory, API documentation acts as a guide to improve usability. Well-documented APIs that offer a range of functions and use cases tend to be more popular in a service-oriented architecture.
•Market the API: Just as Amazon is an online marketplace for retail, API marketplaces exist for developers to buy and sell other APIs. Listing your API can allow you to monetize it.
17. API testing:
API testing strategies are similar to other software testing methodologies. The main focus is on validating server responses. API testing includes:
•Making multiple requests to API endpoints for performance testing.
•Writing unit tests for checking business logic and functional correctness.
•Security testing by simulating system attacks.
18. The steps to implement a new API include:
•Obtaining an API key. This is done by creating a verified account with the API provider.
•Set up an HTTP API client. This tool allows you to structure API requests easily using the API keys received.
•If you don’t have an API client, you can try to structure the request yourself in your browser by referring to the API documentation.
•Once you are comfortable with the new API syntax, you can start using it in your code.
19. Postman API:
Postman is an API(application programming interface) development tool which helps to build, test and modify APIs. Almost any functionality that could be needed by any developer is encapsulated in this tool. It is used by over 5 million developers every month to make their API development easy and simple.
CONCLUSION: