WHAT IS AN API?The basics: what should I know?

Camille Baldock, @camille_

ABOUT ME

• I’m a software engineer !

• I mostly work with APIs, developing them and scaling them

DEFINITION• Application Programming Interface

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• An Application Programming Interface (API) is a particular set of rules and specifications that a software program can follow to access and make use of the services and resources provided by another particular software program that implements that API.

IT’S JUST AN INTERFACE

• A website is an interface between a user and a computer.

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• An API is a programmable interface between two computers.

AN INTERFACE TO WHAT ?

WHAT APIS HAVE I USED TODAY ?

API HISTORY

• Ebay: 2000

• Facebook: 2002

• Flickr : 2004

• Twitter : 2006

READ VS WRITE APIS

• Read APIs

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• Write APIs

WHY HAVE AN API ?

• Outsource innovation

• Distributed Growth

• Syndication

• Revenues and New Business

HOW TO MAKE MONEY FROM AN API

TYPES OF APIS

• Public

• Partner

• Private

A TIMELINE OF APIS

MASHUPS

TECHNOLOGIES• XML: Get Facebook public feed

TECHNOLOGIES• JSON: Posting a direct message on Twitter

• https://api.twitter.com/1.1/direct_messages/new.json

WHAT MAKES A GOOD API?• Simple, open and easy to get started

• The underlying service

• The right business model

• Developer support (the developers become your client !)

JOURNEY TO A GOOD API

• Long journey: developer documentation, sample apps

• Iterate until your interface is the way you and your clients can work best together

WHAT IS AN API ?