APIs are a huge part of the internet world. Without them, life wouldn’t be what it is today. So, if you’re a beginner and want to learn the basics surrounding APIs, then you’ve come to the right place.
What is an API and API Gateway?
Firstly, let‘s run through what an API is. Then, you will learn about what is api gateway.
What Does API Stand For?
If you didn’t know already, API stands for Application Programming Interface.
In simple terms, an API allows two applications to communicate with each other. When you talk with another human, you use your voice and hands to communicate, right? Well, internet applications communicate with each other using an API, which is a little different to how humans do it.
Whenever you use any application like Facebook, Netflix, or Twitter, you’re using an API.
What is an API Gateway?
In addition to this, there’s the API gateway. An API gateway handles all the tasks to do with accepting and processing API calls. For example, when hundreds of thousands of people log onto Facebook each hour, Facebook’s API gateway keeps the traffic under control so that the servers don’t suddenly crash.
Just recently, Facebook announced new API limits to create a better experience for users and app developers. For example, one of the major tweaks includes developers no longer having access to the ‘events’, ‘groups’, ‘pages’, and ‘Instagram’ APIs. Instead, access to these APIs will require a strict app review, first. This is great for privacy, as it means any Facebook users that use apps through Facebook will have their data better protected.
What is an API End Point?
If you aren’t sure what an API endpoint is, this article is now going to explain it to you.
An API endpoint is the location where an API receives a request about a specific source on the server.
For example, consider Instagram for a second. On Instagram, businesses are allowed to make ‘business accounts’ to communicate with customers and promote their products. So, some of Instagram’s endpoints include:
- Moderating comments and replies
- Discovering media through hashtags
- Post Instagram reels to their accounts
- Measuring profile interactions (how many people have clicked on their profiles)
- Make sense? Awesome.
Why Do Developers Use APIs?
Developers use APIs because it makes life easy for them. Coding is made much less complicated because it can be reused. It’s also easier to create programs and apps because all the building blocks are already prepared. Not to mention, integrating applications – such as multiple mobile apps – can be done much faster and with minimal hassle.
What are the Most Popular APIs for Businesses?
So, now that all of that has been covered, what are the most popular API business platforms today? Truthfully, there are too many on the internet to count. However, we can still discuss some of the main ones that you’ve probably heard of before (and likely used). Examples include:
- WhatsApp Business API
- Microsoft Graph API
- Gmail API
Moving into the future, it’s recommended that you use these APIs for maximum business performance.
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