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Application Programming Interface (API)Application programming interfaces, or APIs, simplify software development and innovation by enabling applications to exchange data and functionality easily and securely. Manage your APIs with IBM → What is an application programming interface (API)?An application programming interface, or API, enables companies to open up their applications’ data and functionality to external third-party developers and business partners, or to departments within their companies. This allows services and products to communicate with each other and leverage each other’s data and functionality through a documented interface. Programmers don't need to know how an API is implemented; they simply use the interface to communicate with other products and services. API use has surged over the past decade, to the degree that many of the most popular web applications today would not be possible without APIs. How an API worksAn API is a set of defined rules that explain how computers or applications communicate with one another. (Typically these rules are documented in an API specification). APIs sit between an application and the web server, acting as an intermediary layer that processes data transfer between systems. Here’s how an API works:
While the data transfer will differ depending on the web service being used, this process of requests and response all happens through an API. Whereas a graphical user interface provides humans access to an application’s data and functionality, an API provides that access to computers or other applications. APIs offer security by design because their position as middleman facilitates the abstraction of functionality between two systems—the API endpoint decouples the consuming application from the infrastructure providing the service. API calls usually include authorization credentials to reduce the risk of attacks on the server, and an API gateway can limit access to minimize security threats. Also, during the exchange, HTTP headers, cookies, or query string parameters provide additional security layers to the data. For example, consider an API offered by a payment processing service. Customers can enter their card details on the frontend of an application for an ecommerce store. The payment processor doesn’t require access to the user’s bank account; the API creates a unique token for this transaction and includes it in the API call to the server. This ensures a higher level of security against potential hacking threats. Why we need APIsWhether you’re managing existing tools or designing new ones, you can use an application programming interface to simplify the process. Some of the main benefits of APIs include the following:
Common API examplesBecause APIs allow companies to open up access to their resources while maintaining security and control, they have become a valuable aspect of modern business. Here are some popular examples of application programming interfaces you may encounter:
Types of APIsNowadays, most APIs are web APIs—APIs that expose an application's data or functionality to a web browser, mobile device or other client over the internet. Web API calls can be made using any programming language, or by web pages using HTML. There are four main types of web API:
(Note: All web APIs are remote APIs—APIs that call functions or operate on data or resources that reside on a computer other than the computer making the request.) Types of API protocolsAs the use of web APIs has increased, certain protocols have been developed to provide users with a set of defined rules that specifies the accepted data types and commands. In effect, these API protocols facilitate standardized information exchange:
APIs, web services, and microservicesA web service is a software component that can be accessed via a web address. Therefore, by definition, web services require a network. As a web service exposes an application’s data and functionality, in effect, every web service is an API. However, not every API is a web service. Traditionally, API referred to an interface connected to an application that may have been created with any of the low-level programming languages, such as Javascript. The modern API adheres to REST principles and the JSON format and is typically built for HTTP, resulting in developer-friendly interfaces that are easily accessible and widely understood by applications written in Java, Ruby, Python, and many other languages. When using APIs, there are two common architectural approaches—service-oriented architecture (SOA) and microservices architecture.
While SOA was a vital evolutionary step in application development, microservices architecture is built to scale, providing developers and enterprises with the agility and flexiblity they need to create, modify, test, and deploy applications at a granular level, with shorter iteration cycles and more efficient use of cloud computing resources. For a deeper dive on how these architectural approaches relate, see “SOA vs. microservices: What’s the difference?” APIs and cloud architectureIt’s crucial to develop APIs fit for purpose in today’s world. Cloud native application development relies on connecting a microservices application architecture through your APIs to share data with external users, such as your customers. The services within microservices architecture utilize a common messaging framework, similar to RESTful APIs, facilitating open communication on an operating system without friction caused by additional integration layers or data conversion transactions. Furthermore, you can drop, replace, or enhance any service or feature without any impact on the other services. This lightweight dynamic improves cloud resources optimization, paving the way for better API testing, performance and scalability. APIs and IBM CloudAPIs will continue to be just one part of application modernization and transforming your organization as the demand for better customer experiences and more applications impacts business and IT operations. When it comes to meeting such demands, a move toward greater automation will help. Ideally, it would start with small, measurably successful projects, which you can then scale and optimize for other processes and in other parts of your organization. Working with IBM, you’ll have access to AI-powered automation capabilities, including prebuilt workflows, to help accelerate innovation by making every process more intelligent. Take the next step:
Get started with an IBM Cloud account today. Featured productsRelated linksWhen you edit an embedded object What happens to the source file?When you embed an Excel object, information in the Word file doesn't change if you modify the source Excel file. Embedded objects become part of the Word file and, after they are inserted, they are no longer part of the source file.
What is a destination file quizlet?destination file. The file in which you want to insert an object created with another program and in another file. destination program. The program used to create the file in which you want to insert an object that was created using another program.
When you edit an embedded object from within the destination program you use the tools of?The object can be edited in the destination program using the tools of the source program.
What happens when you double click an Excel worksheet that is embedded in a Word document?1. When you double-click the linked data or chart, you are able to make edits directly in the source file. 2. Any change you make to the worksheet will appear in both the source and destination files.
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