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Web APIs

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[Himeji Castle, Japan]

- Overview

Web APIs, or Web Application Programming Interfaces, are sets of rules and protocols that allow different software applications to communicate with each other over the web. They define how a client application (e.g., a web browser or a mobile app) can interact with a server application to request data or trigger actions. 

In essence, Web APIs serve as the bridges that enable the vast network of interconnected applications and services that form the modern web.

 

- Key Characteristics of Web APIs

Key characteristics of Web APIs include: 

  • HTTP-based communication: Web APIs typically use the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) for communication, sending requests and receiving responses.
  • Data formats: Data exchanged through Web APIs is commonly formatted in JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) or XML (Extensible Markup Language), facilitating easy parsing and interpretation by different programming languages.
  • Endpoints: Web APIs expose specific URLs, known as endpoints, which represent distinct resources or functionalities that can be accessed.
  • Statelessness (common in RESTful APIs): Many Web APIs, especially those following the REST architectural style, are stateless, meaning each request from a client to a server contains all the necessary information, and the server does not store any client-specific context between requests.
  • Abstraction: Web APIs abstract away the underlying complexities of the server-side implementation, allowing developers to interact with services without needing to know the details of how they are built.


Examples of Web APIs:

  • Browser APIs: These are built into web browsers and provide functionalities such as manipulating the DOM (Document Object Model), making network requests (e.g., fetch API), managing client-side storage, and accessing device features (e.g., Geolocation API, MediaDevices API for webcam access).
  • Server-side Web APIs: These are exposed by web servers and allow client applications to interact with back-end services, such as retrieving data from a database, performing calculations, or managing user accounts. Examples include APIs for social media platforms, payment gateways, or cloud services.

[More to come ...]


 

 

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