What is API
- Application Programming Interface (API) is a software interface that allows two applications to interact with each other without any user intervention.
- API is a collection of software functions and procedure. It is basically a software code that can be accessed or executed.
- It is also defined as a code that helps two different software's to communicate and exchange data with each other.
Types of API
Open APIs
They are also known as public APIs. These APIs are publicly available and there are no restriction to access them.
Partner APIs
These APIs are not publicly available, so you need specific rights or licenses to access them.
Internal APIs
Internal or private. These APIs are developed by companies to use in their internal systems . It helps you to enchance the productivity of your teams.
Composite APIs
This type of APIs combines different data and services APIs.
Web Services APIs
SOAP
It defines messages in XML format used by web application to communicate with each other.
REST
It makes use of HTTP to GET,POST,PUT, or DELETE data. It is a basically used to take advantage of the existing data.
JSON-RPC
It use JSON data to transfer and is a light weight remote procedural call defining few data structure types.
XML-RPC
It is based on XML and uses HTTP for data transfer. This APIs is widely used to exchange information between two or more networks.
Examples of API Uses
- Google Maps API
- PayPal API
- Twitter API
- Weather API
- Spotify API
- YouTube API
- Amazon's API
API Testing Tools
Postman
Postman is a plugin in Google Chrome and it can be used for testing API services. It is powerfull HTTP client to check web services.
Ping API
Ping-API is API testing allows us to write test script in Javascript and CoffeeScript to test your APIs. It will enable inspecting the HTTP API call with complete request and response data.
vREST
vREST API tool provides an online solution for automated testing, mocking, automatic recording and specification of REST/HTTP APIs/RESTful APIs.
Features of API
- It offers a valuable services (data, function, audience).
- It helps you to plan a business model.
- Simple, flexible, quickly adopted.
- Managed and measured.
- Offers great developer support.