Web APIs
Before discuss about the Web APIs let’s first look at what is a API. Basically API stands for Application Programming Interface. An API is a set of functions that enables applications to access data and communicate with components of external software , operating systems, or microservices.
What is Web API?
Simply web API is an API over the web that can be accessed using HTTP protocol. It is a framework that helps to build and develop RESTFUL services based on HTTP. Web APIs can be developed using java, .NET etc. Basically Web API is a web development concept. It is limited to the client side of the Web Application and therefore does not contain specifics of a web server or web browser. Web API services are used if an application is to be used on a distributed system and to offer services on multiple devices , such as computers, mobiles, etc. The enhanced version of the web application is the Web API.
Why we use Web API?
There are various instances that we need to use Web API. If we go through them, Web API helps to allow HTTP services to be built to reach client entities, such as browsers, smartphones or tablets. In implementing RESTFUL web services using the .NET platform, web APIs are very useful. Web API allows it simpler for developers to create an ASP.NET application that is compatible with almost any computer and any browser. A Web API can help to create ASP.NET software through AJAX. The ASP.NET Web API can be used for any kind of application using MVC. The Web API services are the best for such devices if the devices have tight bandwidth or bandwidth limits. Web API services are very helpful in designing light-weighted and maintainable web services to develop that service. Any text pattern such as JSON, XML etc. is supported. Online API services are the best to choose for building resource-oriented services. These services are created using HTTP or Restful Service. It is better to use Web API services over other services with a native application that does not support SOAP but includes web services. The web API services are very helpful for good performance and fast creation of services. Because of those helps and usages we use Web APIs.
Web API Examples
Today there are many Web APIs that we used. Among them let’s go through some popular Web APIs that we deal with.
YouTube APIs
The Google API enables developers to incorporate YouTube into websites or software and features. The YouTube analytics API, YouTube Data API, YouTube live streaming API, YouTube Player APIs and others are included in the YouTube APIs.
Google Maps API’s
Google Maps APIs allow developers to use JavaScript or Flash to use Google Maps on Web pages.
Twitter APIs
Twitter offers two APIs, The REST API enables developers to access core Twitter data, and the search API provides techniques for developers to communicate with Twitter search and trend data.
The Flickr APIs
Developers use it to access information from the Flick photo sharing community.
Limitations of Web API
- For continuous services, Web API is not a platform. Its purpose is only to provide the application with an interface over HTTP.
- Whenever a new Database operation is introduced, the API should be expanded.
- In the API, each form of data request would need to be specified.
In this article I discussed about the Web API concept including it’s usages, limitations and popular Web API examples.
