APIs: what are they and what are their advantages?

What are APIs?

How do you get different applications and devices communicating with each other? And how does data get from one place to the other? Application programming interfaces, or APIs, have become the standard tool used to enable software programs to communicate with each other smoothly and easily.

An API connection works like a translator between services in web apps, mobile apps and other connected devices, so they can see and understand each other’s data and services. You can think of it as a link between two applications through which they communicate, with one of them giving the instruction and the other the response.

APIs are handling more and more of our online activities every day. With standardization, it’s fast and easy to create integration between different services and applications. One example is the REST API, which can return XML, JSON, CSV, HTML or many other formats. But what do I need an API for?

An integration and API management solution is an essential component of any company’s IT strategy. But how do you get one up and running? Want to find out? Drop in for a cup of coffee with us!