What is API?
An application programming interface or API is an intermediary that provides communication between two applications. It is designed to simplify the program’s work and is a reasonably versatile tool used in database systems, computer hardware, and operating and web systems. The API makes developers’ work more efficient and easier by reusing previously written code while changing the part related to the process needing improvement. Developers get the basis for creating their program, simplifying the whole process. APIs also allow you to quickly connect and integrate your application using specific protocols without re-coding.
Real Examples of an API
Companies from various industries are turning to APIs to increase the number of benefits for users while reducing development time. This technology expands the product’s functionality at a low cost, which allows not only to meet the demand of more consumers with different needs but also to maintain flexibility in the market. For example, developers do not need to spend time developing complex features such as crop mapping, as they can implement a ready-made solution.
API for Farmers
EOS Data Analytics has extensive experience and deep technical expertise in satellite crop monitoring. The EOS Crop Monitoring digital precision farming platform helps farmers maintain crop health, increase field productivity and reduce costs. However, not only farmers but also IT developers can benefit from EOS Data Analytics products. With access to the API, developers can integrate the features that the company offers in its products and implement them in developing or existing programs for agriculture. Developers can increase the efficiency of their product with features such as field image search and analytics, predictive, historical, and current weather data, soil moisture data, crop maps, vegetation index measurement, and more.
Social Medias
Companies can engage users using social media platform APIs. For example, Twitter offers APIs that give access to the archive of the social network. The Twitter API can build real businesses, find old tweets, broadcast and filter tweets, and improve customer communication. In addition, this technology provides companies with many tools and various technical resources to realize the potential of a global communications network.
Flight Booking
The procedure for booking air tickets always looks about the same, enter the date and time, choose the most suitable option. On the developer side, it is necessary to establish a relationship between the airline API and the application to receive the airline data. The API launches and delivers data from the application to the airline’s systems over the Internet. The interface then gets the response and sends it back to the application.
How do APIs work?
The API securely exposes the software or web data and then enters code to help send the request and return the data from the software. For example, if you are using the Google Maps API, upon registration, you will receive a key that allows the website to extract information from Google Maps. At the same time, there is a separate list of queries that the user can enter. There is a set of rules by which APIs interact with devices and applications. The interface is an intermediary, allowing machines to connect to perform tasks. For example, when you go to Facebook on your phone, you tell the app that you want to access your account, and the app needs to call the API to get your data. Facebook accesses your account information on one of the servers and returns it to the mobile app.
What are APIs used for?
It is easier to answer where APIs are not used since the list of companies from various industries that use this technology is almost inexhaustible. This technology enables the solution of many tasks. Business use cases for APIs include data sharing, application integration, the ability to embed content such as YouTube videos or crop diversity map,s and interoperability between components and data exchange within a company’s internal systems. APIs have transformed modern software. This technology allows companies to quickly and cost-effectively add valuable product features, such as the crop field map. End users also benefit from this technology, as they can transfer data between applications via API calls.
