It is essential to identify the best type API for the architecture’s building/designing in order to achieve optimal API performance. To better understand the API concepts, has reached a higher level of sophistication.
According Wikipedia, An Application Programming Interface (API) is a computing interface that allows for interactions between multiple software intermediaries. It specifies the types of calls and requests that can be made, their formats, data formats, conventions, and how they should be done.
APIs have revolutionized technology since the first-generation computers. APIs is a core programming concept that every programmer should learn in order to be more proficient at work.
It is important to know the types API that are available to API developers. This will help you to choose which APIs will work best for your project.
Types of API
The four main types of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are listed by their availability/release policies.
- Open APIs APIs APIs HTML1 _____ HTML11_ Developers and other users, with minimal restrictions You may need to register, use an API Key, OAuth or make them completely open. They are designed for external users who need to access data and services.
- Partner APIs – These APIs are available to strategic business partners. These APIs are restricted to those with a specific access right and are not accessible publicly. Partner APIs, which are similar to open APIs, are the tip. They are visible and can be used to communicate outside the company’s boundaries. These APIs are typically accessible to the API developer portal, which developers can access in self service mode. Open APIs can be accessed by anyone, but there is a process for onboarding that requires a validation workflow in order to gain access to partner APIs.
- Private APIs (internal APIs) – They are not visible to external users and can only be accessed by internal systems. The internal APIs should not be used outside the company, but are intended to be shared among different development teams in order to improve productivity and reuse services. To ensure good governance, you expose them to an API developer portal which connects to internal IAM systems to authenticate users and authorize them to access the correct set of APIs.
- Combine APIs – Combine multiple data or service APIs. These APIs are created using API orchestration capabilities in an API creation tool. Developers can access multiple endpoints with one call. Composite APIs are helpful in micro-services architecture patterns where multiple services are required to complete a single task.
Types of API Protocol/Specifications
API protocol/specifications standardize the data exchange between web services. Standardization refers to the ability for diverse systems written in different programming language, and/or running under different OSs or using different technologies to seamlessly communicate with one another.
1. Rest Web APIs (Representational state Transfer)
REST is a web API that allows for the creation of enterprise-grade web apps. This API works with resources such as CONNECT and TRACE, HEAD. POST, HEAD, HEAD, PUT, PATCH AND DELETE.
Rest API allows you to expand your web design by reusing parts without affecting the entire process. It is designed to be fast, reliable, and easy-to-use.
Expedia, Twitter use RESTful web APIs to enhance their app’s performance. REST is the best choice for creating custom web applications because it supports different formats like XML and YAML.REST stands for the production of enterprise-grade web applications
Benefits of REST Web API
- To build apps, you need to have a minimum of bandwidth
- It is driven not by functions, but data.
- This guide provides easy instructions that developers can follow to create applications quickly.
- Works with JSON which supports only numbers and text.
- REST web interfaces have been optimized for web apps.
- Only one interface is required.
2. SOAP Web APIs (Service Object Access Protocol).
SOAP operates in a distributed, decentralized environment that allows for the exchange of request and response messages between web applications.
SOAP web API supports XML format. This is a flexible text format used for information exchange over the internet and other web networks. XML is a set rules that ensure documents are secure for humans and machines.
Eventually every web app will require a SOAP Web API (Service Object Access Protocol), to protect the data transmitted by your app.
SOAP web APIs can be used to build payment gateway apps, CRM solutions and identity management, as well as telecommunications services. SOAP APIs are used by PayPal. Amazon also uses SOAP and REST APIs to expand data storage for professional web applications. SalesForce API uses SOAP web APIs for custom features in pre-built web applications.
SOAP Web API Benefits
- Functions drive SOAP web APIs
- Web applications are now more secure
- Developers must follow these strict rules
- Works with XML that support different images, graphs and charts, numbers, text, etc.
Please note: To build your web app that is highly valued by your business using SOAP APIs, you need to hire experienced API developers who can provide a wide range of API customization services.
3. RPC Web APIs (Remote Procedure Calls)
RPC web APIs is the simplest of all the APIs. These APIs are based on Remote procedure Call which specifies the interaction between client and server-based applications.
RPC Web APIs are also known as “function call” and “subroutine”. In these cases, one program or client asks for data from the server and then the server returns the requested response to the client. RPC web APIs can be described as sending a message which might end up storing data in the database to keep track of a history.
RPC Web API Benefits
- RPC web APIs can be used to add commands and procedures.
- This is a great way to add CRUD (creates, reads, updates, deletes) to your app data.
- Only GET and Post are used in RPC.
- Both data types JSON as well as XML are supported.
Types of API according to Use Cases
APIs are classified according to their intended use.
- Database APIs – DatabaseAPIs allow communication between applications and database management systems. Developers interact with databases through queries that access data and change tables.
The Drupal 7 Database API, for example, allows users to create unified queries for multiple databases (Oracle MongoDB and PostgreSQL), both open-source & proprietary (MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL MySQL, CouchDB, MSSQL, CouchDB, and MSSQL).
Another example is Oracle REST Data Service’s ORDS database API.
2. APIs for operating systems. This API group defines how applications use operating system resources and services. Each OS has its own set of APIs. Windows API, Linux API (Kernel-user-space API & Kernel inner API).
Apple’s developer documentation contains API references for iOS and macOS. The Cocoa set includes APIs to build applications for Apple’s macOS desktop OS. Cocoa Touch is a modified version Cocoa that can be used to build apps for iOS’s mobile operating system.
3. RemoteAPIs – RemoteAPIs are standards for interaction between applications that run on different machines. This means that one software product can access resources outside of the device it requests.
Because two remote applications can be connected via a communication network, especially the internet, most remote APIs are written on web standards.
Remote application programming interfaces include Java remote method invocation API and Java database connectivity API.
4. Web APIs – This API class is the most popular. Web APIs allow for machine-readable data transfer and functionality transfer between web-based systems that represent database management systems.
These APIs are used to send requests from web applications as well as responses from Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) servers.
Web APIs are available to developers for extending the functionality of their sites or apps. The Pinterest API allows users to add their Pinterest data, such as boards and pins, to a website. Google Maps API allows you to add a map that includes the location of an organization.
In conclusion
- We now understand that it is impossible to have one web API after learning about the different types. It is clear that your web app can work with multiple web APIs/ other services.
- Businesses are looking for dynamic systems in their apps. This has made web APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) more important in building enterprise-grade dynamic applications.
- You will need to choose between REST or SOAP and then you’ll have one web API to support your web application development projects.
- When you’re working on a new web app development project, it is important to have knowledge about web APIs.
- This can also be helpful when working on features for existing web APIs.
- It is important to select the best web API for your business model and your program development needs.
- A good API developer should know that the most difficult part of creating an API app is choosing which one will work.
We at Swastik Games are focused on delivering excellent development services and also fulfill your app maintenance needs. We take great pride in our best remote Node developers, React developers, coders, engineers, freelancers, architects,s and consultants. Top companies and startups hire remote API developers for their Products, Projects, MVPs, and Proof of concepts (POC). Hire Swastik Games API developers to make your application strong in performance, reliability, and scalability.
We hope that you now have the necessary information to help you choose which type of API is best for your project. You can ask any questions in the comments section below.
- What is an API for web development?API stands for Application Programming Interface. A Web API is an interface that allows you to program applications on the Web. A Browser API allows you to extend the functionality of your web browser. An API for Servers can be used to extend the functionality of web servers.
- What is the cost of an API? An Open API can be used without restrictions, but the publisher might limit the use of the API data. They are based upon an open standard.
- What is API? Web service refers to a set of open-source standards and protocols that allow data exchange between applications or systems. API, on the other hand, is a software interface that allows two programs to communicate with each other without user intervention. All web services are APIs, but not all APIs.
- Which web API is better? Web service can be used to communicate using REST, SOAP and, while API can handle any type of communication. API supports HTTP/HTTPS protocol, while Web service only supports HTTP protocol. API supports XML, while Web service supports XML. All APIs can be used as Web services, but not all APIs.