Briefing-46
An Introduction to
Web APIs
UKOLN: Supporting The Cultural Heritage Sector
Briefing-46
An Introduction to
Web APIs
UKOLN: Supporting The Cultural Heritage Sector
What is a Web API?
What is a Web API?
API stands for 'application programming interface'. An API is the interface that a
computer system, computer library or application provides to allow requests for services
to be made of it by other programs and/or to allow data to be exchanged between them.
A Web API is the Web version of this interface [1]. It comprises of documented code
and is effectively a way to plug one Web site or Web service into another.
API stands for 'application programming interface'. An API is the interface that a
computer system, computer library or application provides to allow requests for services
to be made of it by other programs and/or to allow data to be exchanged between them.
A Web API is the Web version of this interface [1]. It comprises of documented code
and is effectively a way to plug one Web site or Web service into another.
Recently many Web sites have exposed APIs and made them available to external
developers. The term Open API is often used to describe the technologies that allow this
interaction.
Recently many Web sites have exposed APIs and made them available to external
developers. The term Open API is often used to describe the technologies that allow this
interaction.
What can Web APIs be Used For?
What can Web APIs be Used For?
Developers can use Web APIs to build tools for the host Web site and enrich their own
applications with useful functions from third parties. This provides advantages:
Developers can use Web APIs to build tools for the host Web site and enrich their own
applications with useful functions from third parties. This provides advantages:
For the host site:
The advantage of exposing ones APIs is that developers will create new features
and applications for free. These applications will then drive traffic to the site.
For the developer:
Creating applications allows developers to promote their own work on higher
profile Web site and build on existing work. Their own Web site can then benefit
from the traffic. Developers can also mix and match information data from different
sources to creation a solution to a problem.
For the host site:
The advantage of exposing ones APIs is that developers will create new features
and applications for free. These applications will then drive traffic to the site.
For the developer:
Creating applications allows developers to promote their own work on higher
profile Web site and build on existing work. Their own Web site can then benefit
from the traffic. Developers can also mix and match information data from different
sources to creation a solution to a problem.
Getting Started
Getting Started
To access a Web API developers will normally need to register for a (often free)
account and get a private key which is required for calling server functions. Each API
has its own terms and conditions that will need to be followed, for example there may
be limitations on the number of calls to the site per day.
To access a Web API developers will normally need to register for a (often free)
account and get a private key which is required for calling server functions. Each API
has its own terms and conditions that will need to be followed, for example there may
be limitations on the number of calls to the site per day.
Someone with programming experience could build an application using available APIs
fairly quickly but there are now a number of good development tools available such as
Yahoo pipes [2] that allow those with little programming experience to begin
developing simple Web applications.
Someone with programming experience could build an application using available APIs
fairly quickly but there are now a number of good development tools available such as
Yahoo pipes [2] that allow those with little programming experience to begin
developing simple Web applications.
This document is available at:
<http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/cultural-heritage/documents/briefing-46/>
This document is available at:
<http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/cultural-heritage/documents/briefing-46/>
Examples of Web APIs
Examples of Web APIs
Many commercial companies now expose their APIs including Facebook, Yahoo,
Google, Google Maps, Flickr and YouTube.
Many commercial companies now expose their APIs including Facebook, Yahoo,
Google, Google Maps, Flickr and YouTube.
There are a number of API directories including Programmable Web API directory [3],
Webmashup [4] and WebAPI Directory [5]. A list of useful APIs for library services is
available on the TechEssense.info blog [6].
There are a number of API directories including Programmable Web API directory [3],
Webmashup [4] and WebAPI Directory [5]. A list of useful APIs for library services is
available on the TechEssense.info blog [6].
Opportunities and Challenges
Opportunities and Challenges
Web APIs are likely to become increasingly important and more organisations will want
to make their own APIs available as a way to raise their profile and add value. Amazon
recently released graphs that show the growth in bandwidth being consumed by their
customers via their various Web services. More activity network activity takes place in
this way than through all their other Web sites combined. Uptake of data and software
by third party Web applications through Machine to machine interfaces is becoming
more important than user interfaces.
Web APIs are likely to become increasingly important and more organisations will want
to make their own APIs available as a way to raise their profile and add value. Amazon
recently released graphs that show the growth in bandwidth being consumed by their
customers via their various Web services. More activity network activity takes place in
this way than through all their other Web sites combined. Uptake of data and software
by third party Web applications through Machine to machine interfaces is becoming
more important than user interfaces.
This move of focus means that more work will be done to make sure that APIs that
deigned in an appropriate and compatible manner. There will also be significant
challenges relating to how organisations use the data available, which may be personal
and sensitive.
This move of focus means that more work will be done to make sure that APIs that
deigned in an appropriate and compatible manner. There will also be significant
challenges relating to how organisations use the data available, which may be personal
and sensitive.
References
References
1.
Application programming interface, Wikipedia,
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_programming_interface>
1.
Application programming interface, Wikipedia,
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_programming_interface>
2.
Pipes: Rewire The Web, Yahoo!,
<http://pipes.yahoo.com/pipes/>
2.
Pipes: Rewire The Web, Yahoo!,
<http://pipes.yahoo.com/pipes/>
3.
API directory, Programmable Web,
<http://www.programmableweb.com/apilist>
3.
API directory, Programmable Web,
<http://www.programmableweb.com/apilist>
4.
Mashup APIs, Webmashup,
<http://www.webmashup.com/Mashup_APIs/>
4.
Mashup APIs, Webmashup,
<http://www.webmashup.com/Mashup_APIs/>
5.
WebAPI Directory, Webapis.org,
<http://www.webapi.org/webapi-directory/>
5.
WebAPI Directory, Webapis.org,
<http://www.webapi.org/webapi-directory/
6.
Services/APIs/Systems/Technology/Data that we could use, Owen Stephens, 3
July 2008, Mashed Library, Ning,
<http://mashedlibrary.ning.com/forum/topic/show?id=2186716%3ATopic%3A9>
6.
Services/APIs/Systems/Technology/Data that we could use, Owen Stephens, 3 July
2008, Mashed Library, Ning,
<http://mashedlibrary.ning.com/forum/topic/show?id=2186716%3ATopic%3A9>
Produced by UKOLN: a national centre of expertise in digital information management
For further information see <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/>
May 2009
Produced by UKOLN: a national centre of expertise in digital information management
For further information see <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/>
May 2009