All about Application Programming Interfaces (API) explained
APIs are usually a set of functions and procedures that allow the creation of applications with access to features or data of an operating system, application, or other services.
An essential component of software design, they exist at every level of the software stack and provide a way to define and manage abstractions by informing us about the working status of software components and how to use it.
Here is how it works - when looking for a product online by choosing variables, for instance, booking a flight, you interact with the airline’s website to access their database and see the seats available for particular those dates and the costs that might be. The API is the interface that, airline’s response to your request and delivers it right back to the online travel service that shows you the most updated, relevant information.
API Design
API design deals with formulating the “what” and “how” you want with software to perform when you push a button. Well-designed APIs have consistent behavior, take their context into account, and keep the needs of their users in mind. As any other piece of productized software, modern API has its own software development lifecycle (SDLC) of designing, testing, building, managing, and versioning with proper documentation for consumption and versioning.
At CoreIT, when we look at API design by taking into context of adhering to commonly accepted best practices for consistency while dealing with external factors.
API as Abstraction Layer
APIs go hand in hand with abstraction, which is a way of organizing the complexity of a system in a simple way. For instance, the abstraction like Amazon Dash Buttons, battery operated, push-button circuit boards etc. are perfect examples of API as abstraction layers.
Modern APIs adhere to standards that are developer-friendly with easy accessibility. API also provides is a layer of security sharing only that, which is necessary for a standardized and stronger discipline for security and governance.
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