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APIs enable a wide range of software products that are unrelated to each other to interoperate and integrate with one another.
APIs allow software developers to enhance the functionality and features of their software by using a wide range of APIs from other developers. Many enterprise, web, and mobile software applications today rely on APIs.
It is crucial to your business's success to select the right API type. Different classifications are dependent on access level, protocol, and function; not all software or API integration will fall into the same category.
An API designed to share data with the public will not require the same building as an API created to only serve internal staff. This guide will introduce you to different APIs so that you can choose the best one to use to safely and efficiently share data within your organization.
APIs aren't all the same. Developers have a variety of options for API types, protocols, and architectural architectures to choose from.
What Is An API?
API is an acronym for Application Programming Interface. It's a mechanism that allows two applications to interact using rules.
APIs allow developers to add functionality to applications without writing all the code. APIs allow developers to also access data from another application. WordPress, for example, allows bloggers to display their Twitter handle in the sidebar of their blog by using Twitter API.
Four Types Of Web APIs
We usually refer to web APIs when we talk about APIs. Access to Web APIs is done using HTTP, the same protocol used in browsers for retrieving and displaying pages.
Web APIs can be divided into groups based on the intended scope and level of access. Web APIs can be divided into four groups: open APIs (also known as partner APIs), internal APIs (also called composite APIs), and composite APIs.
Web applications frequently use and accept APIs.Web services use four APIs: public, partner, and private. The API "type" in this context indicates the intended scope.
Public APIs
Any developer or company can use a public API. A business with a strategy of sharing data and applications with other companies will create and offer a publicly available API.
They are also known as open APIs and external APIs. Public APIs usually involve moderate authentication and authorization. A company may also want to monetize an API by charging a fee per call to use the public API.
Open APIs are usually restricted with the assets they can share and have low authentication and authorization measures. Some open APIs may be free, but others will require a fee based on how many calls are made.
APIs can be made public for several reasons, but the most important is that data can be shared freely.
It encourages external businesses or developers to integrate with the application that owns an API, increasing the value of both the API and the third-party app. The open API allows third parties to quickly use the data it provides due to its lack of restrictions. Waze, for example, uses APIs from municipalities and partners to provide information about road closures and accidents, construction delays, and service vehicles.
Waze, in turn, makes cities easier for residents to navigate. This attracts more tourists and pleases the locals.
Partner APIs
A partner API is only accessible to specific and authorized API consumers or developers outside the company.
It facilitates business-to-business transactions. If a company wants to share customer data selectively with external CRM firms, then a partner API will connect its internal data system with external parties.
No other API usage is allowed. Partner APIs are accessible only to partners granted clear licenses and rights. Therefore, partner APIs are more likely to have stronger security, authentication, and authorization mechanisms.
In most cases, enterprises do not directly monetize APIs; instead, they pay their partners for services.
APIs from API companies are only shared with those who have a relationship with them.
Access to partner APIs is restricted to clients who have official licenses. Security measures are, therefore, stronger for public APIs. Some businesses prefer partner APIs Because they want more control over who has access to their resources and more say over how those resources are used, some businesses prefer partner APIs.
Pinterest, for example, adopted a submissions-based approach when granting partners access to its API. Partners were required to submit a request outlining how they wanted to use the API.
Internal APIs
A private or internal API is only intended for use by the company to connect data and systems.
Payroll and HR systems may be linked using an internal API, for instance. Internal APIs have historically had weak or no authentication and security because they are meant for internal use.
Other policies are presumed to provide such levels of security. API strategies are changing as regulatory compliance, and increased threat awareness influence them.
Internal APIs are different from partner APIs or open APIs. They're not meant to be used by third parties.
These APIs can only be used within a company. They are designed to simplify data transfer between teams and systems. These APIs are only available to internal developers.
Internal APIs are not documented in publicly available software development kits (or aren't even documented in certain cases), so they are usually completely hidden from the general public. Many companies eventually make their internal APIs public.
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It is considered more efficient, traceable, and secure to use APIs for data transfers within an organization.
It is also a scalable option -- when a company introduces a brand new internal system, it can communicate with the existing system via its APIs.
Composite APIs
Composite APIs combine two or multiple APIs into a related or interdependent sequence.
Composite APIs are useful for addressing complex API behaviors or closely related API behaviors. They can also improve performance and speed over individual APIs. Developers can bundle requests or calls using composite APIs, which integrate different APIs, and obtain a single, unified response from various services.
You would use a Composite API if you needed data from multiple applications or sources. You can also use a composite interface to trigger automatic requests and responses without your involvement.
Composite APIs reduce server load and can also result in a faster system due to the fact that they reduce the total number of API calls.
Composite APIs are often deployed in microservices, where one job can require data from multiple internal APIs. Stoplight provides an example: You want to create a new order in a shopping cart API. This might seem like a simple request.
In reality, you will need to make several requests. You must first create a profile of the customer. You will then need to create an order, add a product, add another and change the order status.
You can use a composite API to make one call instead of five API calls.
API Protocols And Architectures
APIs are used to exchange data and commands. This requires clear architectures and protocols - the rules, structures, and constraints governing an API's operation.
There are currently three types of API architectures or protocols: REST. RPC. and SOAP. They could all be considered "formats," each with their own special traits and trade-offs and used for various things.
REST
Representational State Transfer (REST) is the most popular way to build APIs. REST is a client-server architecture that separates an API's front and back ends.
It provides flexibility for development and implementation. REST is stateless. This means that the API does not store any data between requests. REST allows caching of responses to slow APIs or those that are not time-sensitive.
RESTful APIs (also known as RESTful REST APIs) can also communicate directly with each other or through intermediary systems like API gateways and Load Balancers.
The majority of web APIs use REST. REST stands for Representational State Transfer.
It is a set of guidelines for lightweight, scalable, and easy-to-use APIs. A REST API, or "RESTful API," is an API that follows the REST guidelines. It is used to transfer data from a client to a server.
See our complete guide to REST-based APIs for a detailed look at the REST guidelines.
These guidelines are summarized as follows:
- Client-Server Separation: Any client-server interaction must take the form of an initial request by the client and a reply from the server. Clients cannot request, and servers can't reply.
- Uniform Interface: To ensure compatibility with any client or server, all requests and responses are formatted using HTTP. Server responses are formatted using JavaScript Object Notation.
- Stateless Each client/server interaction is independent of the others. The server does not store any data about client requests or remember anything from previous interactions.
- Layered System: Requests must be formatted similarly, whether sent through intermediary servers or directly to the API.
- Cacheable: Server response should indicate if a resource provided can be cached and for how much time.
Following these guidelines will allow you to use REST APIs for secure, quick, and easy data transfers.
This makes them a favorite among developers.
Remote Procedural Call
This protocol allows you to send and receive multiple parameters. RPC APIs execute executable processes or actions, whereas REST APIs exchange data and resources like documents.
RPC APIs can be coded in two different languages: JSON and XML. These APIs are referred to as JSON-RPC or XML-RPC. RPC is the simplest of the three architectures. RPC APIs are not like REST or SOAP, which facilitate data transfer.
Instead, they invoke processes. They execute scripts on a server.
JSON, a JSON RPC protocol, or XML, an XML RPC protocol, are also options for RPC APIs.
XML offers more security and flexibility than JSON. However, both protocols are similar. RPC is a strict protocol, but it's also a simple and easy method to execute code over remote networks.
RPC APIs have limited security and capabilities. You won't find them on the internet as much as REST or SOAP APIs. It can be used to make basic requests for processes, particularly when they are made in bulk.
Read More: Why API Integration Services Are Important
SOAP
Simple object access protocol is a messaging specification defined by the World Wide Web Consortium.
It's widely used to create APIs for websites, typically using XML. SOAP is compatible with various internet communication protocols, including HTTP, SMTP, and TCP/IP. SOAP is extensible and independent of style, allowing developers to easily create SOAP APIs and add functionality and features.
The SOAP approach outlines the features and modules that will be used, the communication protocols that will be supported, how the SOAP message will be handled, and the format of SOAP messages.
SOAP, in contrast to REST's flexibility, is a standard that is highly structured, tightly defined, and controlled.
SOAP messages, for example, can have up to four parts, including an envelope and header. The body of the message is also included, as well as a fault component, which is used for handling errors. SOAP is a protocol that allows data to be transmitted across networks.
It can also be used for building APIs. SOAP was standardized by W3C and uses XML for information encoding and also uses API integration tools for API documentation by the development team.
SOAP defines the exact format of messages and what they must contain. SOAP APIs are more secure than REST, but the strict guidelines make them harder to implement and more code-heavy.
SOAP is used for data transfers within companies that need to be secure, while REST is more common everywhere else. One more advantage of SOAP is its ability to work with any communication protocol, not just HTTP, as it is with REST.
Compare API Protocols
The choice of API format can have an impact on success and adoption. The most appropriate API format must be chosen based on how complex the data that needs to be exchanged.
It must also take into account the security level required and the performance or speed that the exchanges need to achieve.
A simpler format, for example, might be easier to maintain and code but may not provide the level of security an enterprise adopter needs.
While more complex formats may offer greater security, they might also require higher learning curves from adopters and developers. There are many factors to consider when choosing between different API formats.
Take SOAP and REST as examples. Both formats are used to connect applications. They primarily use HTTP protocols, such as Get and Post.
Both formats can use XML for requests and responses. SOAP is designed to use XML, whereas REST allows JSON, HTML, and plain text. SOAP has strict standards and rules. REST is flexible with its rules.
SOAP is built on remote procedure calls, while REST relies on resources.
REST and SOAP both exchange information in a similar way, but they do so very differently.
Enterprises that need strong security, well-defined regulations, more complicated data transfers, and the capacity to call operations, employ SOAP. SOAP is often used by developers for APIs from partners or internal systems. REST allows for the exchange of simple data quickly.
REST is also scalable, allowing for large user bases. These characteristics are what make REST so popular in public APIs such as mobile applications.
What is the difference between SOAP and Rest?
REST
- Work with XML and JSON as well as plain text, HTTP, and plaintext.
- Loose, flexible, and based on architectural principles.
- Modest security.
- It works well with data.
- Low bandwidth and highly scalable.
SOAP
- Works with XML By Design.
- Rules that are clear and strict.
- Advanced security.
- Work well with actions (processes).
- Limits to scalability and bandwidth Usage.
What is the difference between JSON and XML?
JSON
- Only text and numbers are supported.
- Data is the main focus.
- Low security.
XML
- Supports a variety of data types, such as text, numbers, and images.
- Documents are the main focus.
- There is more security.
When to use RPC can be a little easier. RPC, like SOAP, is highly structured. It's intended for APIs that are relatively simple and can invoke processes.
It is then up to you whether to use JSON, XML, or both. Again, this depends on what the API is intended for, the type of data exchanged, and the level of security required.
JSON is a simpler language. JSON-RPCs only support alphanumeric or text data exchanges, with limited security. XML RPC handles a wide range of data, including text, images, and graphs.
XML is superior to JSON in terms of document handling and security. Both approaches are compatible with a wide range of programming languages, including Python, Java, and PHP.
RPC-based APIs, despite their limitations in data types and security, are not suitable for enterprise APIs.
They may be suitable for internal composite APIs. JSON-RPC, for example, can handle multiple simultaneous requests and can do so asynchronously. It is important to choose an API that meets the needs of your business and applications.
Selecting The Right API
Developers should take into account or include several factors when selecting or creating an API, whether it is for a software project or if they are building one from scratch.
These factors include:
- Complete And Clear Documentation: Because APIs are software products, they need comprehensive documentation to provide developers with reference usage, how-to instructions, and examples of use cases.
- Easy Adoption: Keep your API simple. Establish an easy way to acquire the API, such as through downloads or account registration. Provide knowledgeable API support who can answer any questions from developers. If the API is too difficult or unwelcoming to integrate, developers will choose other APIs which are easier to adopt.
- Ease-Of-Use: A good interface is intuitive and easy to use. Even the most comprehensive and powerful API will be ignored by users if its calls and responses are cumbersome. A good API is characterized by simplicity, consistency, clarity, and backward compatibility, as well as clear deprecation.
- Stability, Reliability, And Scalability: APIs should be developed like other software. This includes thorough testing for bugs and metrics that show how scalable and performant they are, including the number of client-server requests per second and other factors. Developers will abandon APIs that are buggy and have inconsistent or unreliable performances. Third-party APIs must be robust and highly available.
- Security: The APIs should support security by requiring clear authentication, whereby only authorized users are allowed to use the API. Data exchanged through the API must be encrypted to prevent snooping or theft.
Today, APIs Are Used In A Variety Of Applications
APIs are essential to the success of modern software platforms. Many computer users use top API platform every day without realizing how important they are.
Some examples of APIs in use today include:
- APIs For Social Media: Platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and others rely on APIs in order to communicate with remote endpoints and perform functions like Twitter bots.
- Login APIs: The highly integrated software environments of today rely on APIs for some level of single sign-on. For example, an application may ask the user to "log in using Facebook." The API allows users to avoid creating a separate account for each site or app they visit.
- Widgets And Service APIs: These APIs are used to integrate many small features and functions. The weather report, ocean tides schedule, newsfeeds, and other content displayed in a search are typically generated by APIs that the search engine uses to provide various service providers. Google Maps, for example, uses an API that allows users to plan routes or search for locations through their web browser. APIs are also used to allow maps to appear on countless third-party websites.
- Financial APIs: Banks rely on APIs to connect remote users with the bank's systems to perform remote deposits, balance check, transfers, and electronic payments. PayPal, for example, uses an API to link a user with a PayPal account. PayPal can also be used to pay other sites such as Amazon or eBay.
- Travel APIs: When users search airline schedules, purchase tickets, and book rooms using hotel APIs, they use airline APIs. Other sites, like Trivago or Expedia, offer custom APIs that allow users to search for and book flights and accommodations. The travel site relies on APIs provided by the airline, hotel, and car rental providers.
- APIs For Shipping And Supply Chain: The packing and shipping of an item from its origin to its destination generates a lot of data in real-time. Customers can check the status and shipping details of their purchases using APIs. This includes the location of the package and the estimated delivery date.
- APIs For Content Management And Delivery: Platforms such as Spotify or Netflix use APIs to allow users to choose desired content. The provider then delivers the streaming content directly to the device of the user.
- Microservices: APIs, from a software development perspective, are essential elements of modern applications based on microservices, as they allow communication between the various modules or containers that make up the application. A change to a module can be made, but updating and testing can be restricted to the module.
There are many APIs that are used today. Many are developed by business partners and internal users, but they are never adopted by the general public.
APIs are expected to continue finding new uses as software becomes more important. They will also play a greater role in software development.
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Conclusion
We can categorize web APIs into four broad categories. Open APIs are available to all developers.
Partner APIs that only authorized developers can access Internal APIs that only internal teams can access. Composite APIs combine together many API management platform.
API architectures can be divided into three types: REST is a collection of guidelines for lightweight and scalable web APIs.
SOAP is a more strict protocol that will provide APIs with greater API security. RPC is a protocol to invoke processes. It can be written in XML ( XML RPC) and JSON ( JSON RPC).
This is an excellent introduction to APIs and their use by developers, even if you don't need to know all the details.
You can empower your business by leveraging the right API to work with other applications and expand your reach.
