Tina HuynhTable of Contents
What is an API?
An API provides a way for software applications to access data or functionality provided by another application or service. When an app or service doesn't have to understand how its counterpart is implemented, they can still communicate with them directly. This way, instead of running numerous applications that perform discrete sets of tasks on separate servers and databases, users only need to run one application via their user login process to manage everything in just one place - saving time and effort for both developer and customer alike.
Types of APIs
REST APIs
REST APIs are the most popular. REST stands for "representational state transfer." The client starts the process by sending requests to the server, and the server uses these inputs to perform different tasks. Once it has finished running those tasks, it sends back an output sent to the client. REST is a set of functions like GET, PUT, DELETE, etc. that clients can use to access server data.
REST API is a particular type of Web API that uses standard architectural styles. All web services are APIs, but not all APIs are web services. API stands for Application Programming Interface which uses HTTP as the primary transport protocol. Web services built using REST are more agile and scalable than other APIs. REST APIs are also known as HTTP APIs or simply "APIs."
Websocket APIs
A WebSocket is a means by which two-way real-time communication can be opened between the user's browser and a server. Here, JSON objects are used to pass data and two-way communication between client apps and the server is supported. The server can send callback messages to connected clients to make communication more efficient than REST APIs. WebSockets is different from AJAX because it creates what they call a "full-duplex" channel where both sides of the conversation can send messages at any point in time.
SOAP APIs
SOAP stands for "simple object access protocol." SOAP APIs are simple, lightweight, and easy to set up. SOAP is a standard communication protocol used by different programs and operating systems like Linux and Windows to communicate via HTTP. SOAP based APIs are ideal for creating, recovering, updating, and deleting records like accounts, passwords, and leads/custom objects.
The SOAP API is stateless, so it can only perform a single operation of standard requests with parameters on one resource at a time. It uses self-descriptive URIs to define actions on resources. SOAP is a RESTful API that uses HTTP POST to create, update, and delete records in the system.
RPC APIs
The RPC programming model is the earliest, most basic form of API interaction. The RPC programming model is the single, most fundamental form of API interaction. It's the simplest possible form of communication between applications. It allows you to execute a block of code on another server, and when implemented in HTTP or AMQP it can become an API. An RPC system takes a set of operations, which can be performed in a single request or response, and sends instructions to execute those operations on another computer. RPC is one of the oldest kinds of APIs, and it's still quite popular because it's simple to implement in any language.
Check out this article by Linux Software for more information on the different types of APIs:
What is Zero?
The API for EVERYTHING!
Zero is a platform built on open-source technologies to manage and secure your digital assets. The platform provides developers with a RESTful API, fast and reliable. With Zero, you will no longer have to individually sign up for services like AWS S3 and Stripe. Enabling different teams, revoking accesses, and rotating your secrets has never been easier!
How it works
Sign up for Zero Token
Pick the APIs you need access to
Call Zero SDK method
Helpful Links
Conclusion
There are so many amazing APIs out there available for your next project, and picking the right one can be a daunting task. But among them, some of my favorites are Google Maps, HubSpot API, DEV API, GitHub API and Telegram API. I'm currently looking into using Twitter's API for my next project.
What APIs have you worked with so far? What are your favorites, and would you consider using Zero to manage all of your secrets in the future?
