In today’s interconnected world, APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) play a pivotal role in enabling seamless communication and data exchange between different systems. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting your journey in the software industry, understanding APIs is essential. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about APIs, from the basics to advanced concepts.
Mastering APIs is crucial for any developer aiming to build robust and scalable applications. By understanding the fundamentals and delving into advanced concepts, you’ll be equipped to design, develop, and optimize APIs effectively. In this series, I have created a set of slides, publications, and notes that cover each topic in detail.
Understanding API Architectures: Web API vs. Minimal API – An In-Depth Compar...Polyxer Systems
In this comprehensive guide learn the distinctions between Web API & Minimal API for your project understanding and get detailed insights on framework differences, benefits & limits.
Best practices and advantages of REST APIsAparna Sharma
In this article, I am going to share the best practices and the advantages of REST APIs, as I am working with a team on a REST-based web application. Newsdata.io news API is a REST-based API that fetches news data from thousands of news websites in JSON format. Therefore, I have a basic understanding of REST APIs that I am going to share with you.
API Development has become one of the most often used phrases among tech enthusiasts and any organization developing web applications worldwide.
In today’s environment, API is crucial to businesses and, by extension, to the economy as a whole.
APIs are everywhere and are regularly used by regular people.
Understanding API Architectures: Web API vs. Minimal API – An In-Depth Compar...Polyxer Systems
In this comprehensive guide learn the distinctions between Web API & Minimal API for your project understanding and get detailed insights on framework differences, benefits & limits.
Best practices and advantages of REST APIsAparna Sharma
In this article, I am going to share the best practices and the advantages of REST APIs, as I am working with a team on a REST-based web application. Newsdata.io news API is a REST-based API that fetches news data from thousands of news websites in JSON format. Therefore, I have a basic understanding of REST APIs that I am going to share with you.
API Development has become one of the most often used phrases among tech enthusiasts and any organization developing web applications worldwide.
In today’s environment, API is crucial to businesses and, by extension, to the economy as a whole.
APIs are everywhere and are regularly used by regular people.
Modern REST API design principles and rules.pdfAparna Sharma
Typically, when updating or developing an API like Newsdata.io which is a news API for a service to provide news data with quick response time, there are lengthy discussions about the API’s structure, naming, and functions. Although, over time, certain rules have emerged that can be applied to the process and aid in reaching a common ground while developing.
Designing Usable APIs featuring Forrester Research, Inc.CA API Management
Deliver a Great Developer Experience (DX) as Part of an Effective API Strategy
Overview
Designing a great enterprise API is not easy. Exposing an interface is relatively simple but API designers have a great deal more to think about – business models, process context, transactional integrity, privacy concerns, data ownership… the list goes on.
For enterprise API designers, a clear focus on developer experience (DX) is often the best way to get things moving in the right direction. Creating an API that developers love to use will produce a wealth of benefits for any API program, such as:
Increasing API adoption rates
Reducing implementation costs
Ensuring the program is aligned with core business goals
Join this webinar with Ronnie Mitra of Layer 7 and guest speaker Randy Heffner of Forrester Research, Inc. to get practical tips on building APIs that will provide a great DX and truly contribute to your organization’s business success.
You Will Learn
What the term “well-designed API” means, in practical terms
Why developer experience matters and how it aligns with business goals
How to make rational design choices that will improve DX
Presented By
Ronnie Mitra
Principal API Architect, Layer 7
Guest Speaker
Randy Heffner
VP, Principal Analyst, Forrester Research, Inc.
Webinar: Embracing REST APIs through APPSeCONNECTAPPSeCONNECT
We recently had a #Webinar on Embracing Rest API through APPSeCONNECT. The key points covered were:
1. What is REST and why it is important?
2. Authentication mechanisms.
3. Adding Schemas and Actions
4. Connecting the dots through Workflows.
5. Defining Integration Strategies.
6. Provitioning and Maintenance.
7. Conclusion
#Webinar #RESTAPI #API #iPaaS
Check out the Webinar Recap now!
Integrate your line of business applications: https://www.appseconnect.com/integrations/
Modern REST API design principles and rules.pdfAparna Sharma
Typically, when updating or developing an API like Newsdata.io which is a news API for a service to provide news data with quick response time, there are lengthy discussions about the API’s structure, naming, and functions. Although, over time, certain rules have emerged that can be applied to the process and aid in reaching a common ground while developing.
This session will provide attendees with hands-on experience and in-depth knowledge of using Node.js as a runtime environment and Express.js as a web framework to build scalable and fast backend systems. Additionally, attendees will learn about Passport.js, a popular authentication middleware for Node.js, and how to use Prisma ORM to handle database operations in a type-safe and efficient manner.
The session will be conducted by experienced developers who have worked with these technologies and will be able to provide valuable insights and best practices. The session will be interactive and include plenty of opportunities for attendees to ask questions and work on real-world projects.
Many of the API design opinions found on the web are academic discussions revolving around interpretations of uncertain standards as opposed to what makes sense in the real world. The aim of this presentation is to describe the best common practices for a practical API design for the web applications
Many of the API design opinions found on the web are academic discussions revolving around interpretations of uncertain standards as opposed to what makes sense in the real world. The aim of this presentation is to describe the best common practices for a practical API design for the web applications
Many of the API design opinions found on the web are academic discussions revolving around interpretations of uncertain standards as opposed to what makes sense in the real world. The aim of this presentation is to describe the best common practices for a practical API design for the web applications.
Unlock the Unbeatable: Proven Best Practices for Crafting an Exceptional API.
From creating endpoints to understanding the importance of documentation, these time-tested tips will help you build an API that will stand the test of time. Delve into the details behind crafting a superior user experience and discover what makes a truly great API.
In this blog, we will delve into the role of Laravel in API development, exploring its key features and benefits. Whether you're a budding developer or looking to hire remote developers, understanding Laravel's significance is crucial in today's tech-driven world. So, let's get started!
For more information visit our blog https://mukeshram.hashnode.dev/what-is-the-role-of-laravel-in-api-development
RESTful applications: The why and how by Maikel MardjanJexia
REST: What, Why, How? RESTful design patterns have advantages in every programming language and more and more companies and application providers are shifting towards RESTful interfaces.
Includes:
- Essence of REST
- How does REST work?
- Designing RESTful APIs
- Advantages and Disadvantages of REST
- Tools to work with REST
Maikel Mardjan: Professional IT architect and involved designing large IT systems since we survived the y2k disaster.
A RESTful Introduction will cover the basics of what REST means and takes advantage of. We will talk about status codes, verbs and APIs in general.
The presentation was held by Daniel Toader and Andrei Pirjoleanu from eMAG.
apidays LIVE Paris 2021 - Lessons from the API Stewardship Journey in Azure b...apidays
apidays LIVE Paris 2021 - APIs and the Future of Software
December 7, 8 & 9, 2021
Lessons from the API Stewardship Journey in Azure
Ryan Sweet, Principal Architect at Microsoft
What is an API ?
API which stands for Application Programming Interface. This article explains what is an API, how it works, and gives some examples of APIs in the real world.
#mulesoft #api #soap #rpc #restfulapis #restful #webapis
Large Language Models and the End of ProgrammingMatt Welsh
Talk by Matt Welsh at Craft Conference 2024 on the impact that Large Language Models will have on the future of software development. In this talk, I discuss the ways in which LLMs will impact the software industry, from replacing human software developers with AI, to replacing conventional software with models that perform reasoning, computation, and problem-solving.
Software Engineering, Software Consulting, Tech Lead.
Spring Boot, Spring Cloud, Spring Core, Spring JDBC, Spring Security,
Spring Transaction, Spring MVC,
Log4j, REST/SOAP WEB-SERVICES.
Modern REST API design principles and rules.pdfAparna Sharma
Typically, when updating or developing an API like Newsdata.io which is a news API for a service to provide news data with quick response time, there are lengthy discussions about the API’s structure, naming, and functions. Although, over time, certain rules have emerged that can be applied to the process and aid in reaching a common ground while developing.
Designing Usable APIs featuring Forrester Research, Inc.CA API Management
Deliver a Great Developer Experience (DX) as Part of an Effective API Strategy
Overview
Designing a great enterprise API is not easy. Exposing an interface is relatively simple but API designers have a great deal more to think about – business models, process context, transactional integrity, privacy concerns, data ownership… the list goes on.
For enterprise API designers, a clear focus on developer experience (DX) is often the best way to get things moving in the right direction. Creating an API that developers love to use will produce a wealth of benefits for any API program, such as:
Increasing API adoption rates
Reducing implementation costs
Ensuring the program is aligned with core business goals
Join this webinar with Ronnie Mitra of Layer 7 and guest speaker Randy Heffner of Forrester Research, Inc. to get practical tips on building APIs that will provide a great DX and truly contribute to your organization’s business success.
You Will Learn
What the term “well-designed API” means, in practical terms
Why developer experience matters and how it aligns with business goals
How to make rational design choices that will improve DX
Presented By
Ronnie Mitra
Principal API Architect, Layer 7
Guest Speaker
Randy Heffner
VP, Principal Analyst, Forrester Research, Inc.
Webinar: Embracing REST APIs through APPSeCONNECTAPPSeCONNECT
We recently had a #Webinar on Embracing Rest API through APPSeCONNECT. The key points covered were:
1. What is REST and why it is important?
2. Authentication mechanisms.
3. Adding Schemas and Actions
4. Connecting the dots through Workflows.
5. Defining Integration Strategies.
6. Provitioning and Maintenance.
7. Conclusion
#Webinar #RESTAPI #API #iPaaS
Check out the Webinar Recap now!
Integrate your line of business applications: https://www.appseconnect.com/integrations/
Modern REST API design principles and rules.pdfAparna Sharma
Typically, when updating or developing an API like Newsdata.io which is a news API for a service to provide news data with quick response time, there are lengthy discussions about the API’s structure, naming, and functions. Although, over time, certain rules have emerged that can be applied to the process and aid in reaching a common ground while developing.
This session will provide attendees with hands-on experience and in-depth knowledge of using Node.js as a runtime environment and Express.js as a web framework to build scalable and fast backend systems. Additionally, attendees will learn about Passport.js, a popular authentication middleware for Node.js, and how to use Prisma ORM to handle database operations in a type-safe and efficient manner.
The session will be conducted by experienced developers who have worked with these technologies and will be able to provide valuable insights and best practices. The session will be interactive and include plenty of opportunities for attendees to ask questions and work on real-world projects.
Many of the API design opinions found on the web are academic discussions revolving around interpretations of uncertain standards as opposed to what makes sense in the real world. The aim of this presentation is to describe the best common practices for a practical API design for the web applications
Many of the API design opinions found on the web are academic discussions revolving around interpretations of uncertain standards as opposed to what makes sense in the real world. The aim of this presentation is to describe the best common practices for a practical API design for the web applications
Many of the API design opinions found on the web are academic discussions revolving around interpretations of uncertain standards as opposed to what makes sense in the real world. The aim of this presentation is to describe the best common practices for a practical API design for the web applications.
Unlock the Unbeatable: Proven Best Practices for Crafting an Exceptional API.
From creating endpoints to understanding the importance of documentation, these time-tested tips will help you build an API that will stand the test of time. Delve into the details behind crafting a superior user experience and discover what makes a truly great API.
In this blog, we will delve into the role of Laravel in API development, exploring its key features and benefits. Whether you're a budding developer or looking to hire remote developers, understanding Laravel's significance is crucial in today's tech-driven world. So, let's get started!
For more information visit our blog https://mukeshram.hashnode.dev/what-is-the-role-of-laravel-in-api-development
RESTful applications: The why and how by Maikel MardjanJexia
REST: What, Why, How? RESTful design patterns have advantages in every programming language and more and more companies and application providers are shifting towards RESTful interfaces.
Includes:
- Essence of REST
- How does REST work?
- Designing RESTful APIs
- Advantages and Disadvantages of REST
- Tools to work with REST
Maikel Mardjan: Professional IT architect and involved designing large IT systems since we survived the y2k disaster.
A RESTful Introduction will cover the basics of what REST means and takes advantage of. We will talk about status codes, verbs and APIs in general.
The presentation was held by Daniel Toader and Andrei Pirjoleanu from eMAG.
apidays LIVE Paris 2021 - Lessons from the API Stewardship Journey in Azure b...apidays
apidays LIVE Paris 2021 - APIs and the Future of Software
December 7, 8 & 9, 2021
Lessons from the API Stewardship Journey in Azure
Ryan Sweet, Principal Architect at Microsoft
What is an API ?
API which stands for Application Programming Interface. This article explains what is an API, how it works, and gives some examples of APIs in the real world.
#mulesoft #api #soap #rpc #restfulapis #restful #webapis
Similar to API (Application program interface) (20)
Large Language Models and the End of ProgrammingMatt Welsh
Talk by Matt Welsh at Craft Conference 2024 on the impact that Large Language Models will have on the future of software development. In this talk, I discuss the ways in which LLMs will impact the software industry, from replacing human software developers with AI, to replacing conventional software with models that perform reasoning, computation, and problem-solving.
Software Engineering, Software Consulting, Tech Lead.
Spring Boot, Spring Cloud, Spring Core, Spring JDBC, Spring Security,
Spring Transaction, Spring MVC,
Log4j, REST/SOAP WEB-SERVICES.
In software engineering, the right architecture is essential for robust, scalable platforms. Wix has undergone a pivotal shift from event sourcing to a CRUD-based model for its microservices. This talk will chart the course of this pivotal journey.
Event sourcing, which records state changes as immutable events, provided robust auditing and "time travel" debugging for Wix Stores' microservices. Despite its benefits, the complexity it introduced in state management slowed development. Wix responded by adopting a simpler, unified CRUD model. This talk will explore the challenges of event sourcing and the advantages of Wix's new "CRUD on steroids" approach, which streamlines API integration and domain event management while preserving data integrity and system resilience.
Participants will gain valuable insights into Wix's strategies for ensuring atomicity in database updates and event production, as well as caching, materialization, and performance optimization techniques within a distributed system.
Join us to discover how Wix has mastered the art of balancing simplicity and extensibility, and learn how the re-adoption of the modest CRUD has turbocharged their development velocity, resilience, and scalability in a high-growth environment.
Field Employee Tracking System| MiTrack App| Best Employee Tracking Solution|...informapgpstrackings
Keep tabs on your field staff effortlessly with Informap Technology Centre LLC. Real-time tracking, task assignment, and smart features for efficient management. Request a live demo today!
For more details, visit us : https://informapuae.com/field-staff-tracking/
Unleash Unlimited Potential with One-Time Purchase
BoxLang is more than just a language; it's a community. By choosing a Visionary License, you're not just investing in your success, you're actively contributing to the ongoing development and support of BoxLang.
Climate Science Flows: Enabling Petabyte-Scale Climate Analysis with the Eart...Globus
The Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) is a global network of data servers that archives and distributes the planet’s largest collection of Earth system model output for thousands of climate and environmental scientists worldwide. Many of these petabyte-scale data archives are located in proximity to large high-performance computing (HPC) or cloud computing resources, but the primary workflow for data users consists of transferring data, and applying computations on a different system. As a part of the ESGF 2.0 US project (funded by the United States Department of Energy Office of Science), we developed pre-defined data workflows, which can be run on-demand, capable of applying many data reduction and data analysis to the large ESGF data archives, transferring only the resultant analysis (ex. visualizations, smaller data files). In this talk, we will showcase a few of these workflows, highlighting how Globus Flows can be used for petabyte-scale climate analysis.
Globus Connect Server Deep Dive - GlobusWorld 2024Globus
We explore the Globus Connect Server (GCS) architecture and experiment with advanced configuration options and use cases. This content is targeted at system administrators who are familiar with GCS and currently operate—or are planning to operate—broader deployments at their institution.
Providing Globus Services to Users of JASMIN for Environmental Data AnalysisGlobus
JASMIN is the UK’s high-performance data analysis platform for environmental science, operated by STFC on behalf of the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). In addition to its role in hosting the CEDA Archive (NERC’s long-term repository for climate, atmospheric science & Earth observation data in the UK), JASMIN provides a collaborative platform to a community of around 2,000 scientists in the UK and beyond, providing nearly 400 environmental science projects with working space, compute resources and tools to facilitate their work. High-performance data transfer into and out of JASMIN has always been a key feature, with many scientists bringing model outputs from supercomputers elsewhere in the UK, to analyse against observational or other model data in the CEDA Archive. A growing number of JASMIN users are now realising the benefits of using the Globus service to provide reliable and efficient data movement and other tasks in this and other contexts. Further use cases involve long-distance (intercontinental) transfers to and from JASMIN, and collecting results from a mobile atmospheric radar system, pushing data to JASMIN via a lightweight Globus deployment. We provide details of how Globus fits into our current infrastructure, our experience of the recent migration to GCSv5.4, and of our interest in developing use of the wider ecosystem of Globus services for the benefit of our user community.
First Steps with Globus Compute Multi-User EndpointsGlobus
In this presentation we will share our experiences around getting started with the Globus Compute multi-user endpoint. Working with the Pharmacology group at the University of Auckland, we have previously written an application using Globus Compute that can offload computationally expensive steps in the researcher's workflows, which they wish to manage from their familiar Windows environments, onto the NeSI (New Zealand eScience Infrastructure) cluster. Some of the challenges we have encountered were that each researcher had to set up and manage their own single-user globus compute endpoint and that the workloads had varying resource requirements (CPUs, memory and wall time) between different runs. We hope that the multi-user endpoint will help to address these challenges and share an update on our progress here.
Check out the webinar slides to learn more about how XfilesPro transforms Salesforce document management by leveraging its world-class applications. For more details, please connect with sales@xfilespro.com
If you want to watch the on-demand webinar, please click here: https://www.xfilespro.com/webinars/salesforce-document-management-2-0-smarter-faster-better/
Custom Healthcare Software for Managing Chronic Conditions and Remote Patient...Mind IT Systems
Healthcare providers often struggle with the complexities of chronic conditions and remote patient monitoring, as each patient requires personalized care and ongoing monitoring. Off-the-shelf solutions may not meet these diverse needs, leading to inefficiencies and gaps in care. It’s here, custom healthcare software offers a tailored solution, ensuring improved care and effectiveness.
Globus Compute wth IRI Workflows - GlobusWorld 2024Globus
As part of the DOE Integrated Research Infrastructure (IRI) program, NERSC at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and ALCF at Argonne National Lab are working closely with General Atomics on accelerating the computing requirements of the DIII-D experiment. As part of the work the team is investigating ways to speedup the time to solution for many different parts of the DIII-D workflow including how they run jobs on HPC systems. One of these routes is looking at Globus Compute as a way to replace the current method for managing tasks and we describe a brief proof of concept showing how Globus Compute could help to schedule jobs and be a tool to connect compute at different facilities.
Understanding Globus Data Transfers with NetSageGlobus
NetSage is an open privacy-aware network measurement, analysis, and visualization service designed to help end-users visualize and reason about large data transfers. NetSage traditionally has used a combination of passive measurements, including SNMP and flow data, as well as active measurements, mainly perfSONAR, to provide longitudinal network performance data visualization. It has been deployed by dozens of networks world wide, and is supported domestically by the Engagement and Performance Operations Center (EPOC), NSF #2328479. We have recently expanded the NetSage data sources to include logs for Globus data transfers, following the same privacy-preserving approach as for Flow data. Using the logs for the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) as an example, this talk will walk through several different example use cases that NetSage can answer, including: Who is using Globus to share data with my institution, and what kind of performance are they able to achieve? How many transfers has Globus supported for us? Which sites are we sharing the most data with, and how is that changing over time? How is my site using Globus to move data internally, and what kind of performance do we see for those transfers? What percentage of data transfers at my institution used Globus, and how did the overall data transfer performance compare to the Globus users?
Listen to the keynote address and hear about the latest developments from Rachana Ananthakrishnan and Ian Foster who review the updates to the Globus Platform and Service, and the relevance of Globus to the scientific community as an automation platform to accelerate scientific discovery.
Accelerate Enterprise Software Engineering with PlatformlessWSO2
Key takeaways:
Challenges of building platforms and the benefits of platformless.
Key principles of platformless, including API-first, cloud-native middleware, platform engineering, and developer experience.
How Choreo enables the platformless experience.
How key concepts like application architecture, domain-driven design, zero trust, and cell-based architecture are inherently a part of Choreo.
Demo of an end-to-end app built and deployed on Choreo.
Into the Box Keynote Day 2: Unveiling amazing updates and announcements for modern CFML developers! Get ready for exciting releases and updates on Ortus tools and products. Stay tuned for cutting-edge innovations designed to boost your productivity.
top nidhi software solution freedownloadvrstrong314
This presentation emphasizes the importance of data security and legal compliance for Nidhi companies in India. It highlights how online Nidhi software solutions, like Vector Nidhi Software, offer advanced features tailored to these needs. Key aspects include encryption, access controls, and audit trails to ensure data security. The software complies with regulatory guidelines from the MCA and RBI and adheres to Nidhi Rules, 2014. With customizable, user-friendly interfaces and real-time features, these Nidhi software solutions enhance efficiency, support growth, and provide exceptional member services. The presentation concludes with contact information for further inquiries.
2. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
An Overview of APIs - Topics
❖ Introduction to APIs
➢ What is an API?
➢ Why are APIs important?
➢ Examples of APIs
❖ Types of APIs
➢ REST APIs
➢ SOAP APIs
➢ GraphQL APIs
❖ How APIs Work
➢ Request-Response Cycle
➢ HTTP Verbs (GET, POST, PUT,
DELETE)
➢ API endpoints
❖ API Authentication
➢ Basic Authentication
➢ API Keys
➢ OAuth
3. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
An Overview of APIs - Topics
❖ API Design Best Practices
➢ Versioning
➢ Documentation
➢ Error Handling
➢ Performance
❖ Design Principles for REST API
➢ Resource-oriented Design
➢ HTTP Verb Design
➢ API Endpoint Design
➢ Query Parameter Design
❖ Advanced REST API Concepts
➢ Webhooks
➢ Real-time APIs
➢ Custom HTTP Headers
➢ Caching
➢ Rate Limiting
❖ Overview of API Performance
➢ Why is API Performance important?
➢ Factors affecting API Performance
(Latency, Bandwidth, CPU Utilization)
4. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Instructions for Learning and Interview Preparation
➢ Start with the basics of APIs, including what they are, how they work, and why they're important.
➢ Learn about REST and its key concepts such as resources, URIs, HTTP methods, and status codes.
➢ Understand API design principles such as resource-oriented design, HTTP verb design, and query parameter
design.
➢ Study how to write clear and concise API documentation.
➢ Explore API security best practices for authentication, authorization, and encryption.
➢ Look into API testing and monitoring: Testing and monitoring are essential for ensuring the reliability and
performance of your API. Learn how to test your API using automated tools and how to monitor its usage and
performance.
➢ Stay up to date with industry trends and best practices.
➢ Build your own API and seek feedback to improve your skills and knowledge.
Remember, APIs are vast and complex topics that take time and practice to fully understand. Don't get
discouraged if you encounter difficulties. Instead, keep practicing and seek help when needed.
Good luck!
5. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Introduction to APIs
An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of protocols, routines, and tools that enable different
software applications to communicate with each other. It provides a well-defined interface for software
components to interact with each other, allowing for seamless integration and collaboration between
different systems. Essentially, an API is a set of rules that govern how different software components
should communicate with each other.
Key Points:
● Have you ever wondered how different applications and software components interact with each
other? That's where APIs come in!
● APIs, or Application Programming Interfaces, provide a set of rules and protocols that enable
seamless communication between different software applications.
● In this section, we'll explore the fundamentals of APIs and why they are essential for modern
software development.
Definition:
7. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Why are APIs important?
● APIs are the backbone of modern software development, enabling developers to build innovative
applications by combining different software components.
● They allow for faster development, increased efficiency, and better collaboration between different
teams.
● In this section, we'll explore the reasons why APIs are crucial for building robust and scalable
software applications.
8. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Examples of APIs
● APIs are everywhere! From social media
platforms like Twitter to location-based
services like Google Maps, APIs are an
essential component of modern software
applications.
● They enable developers to access pre-built
code and functionality, saving time and
effort in software development.
● In this section, we'll explore some popular
examples of APIs and how they are used in
real-world applications.
9. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
How APIs Work - Request-Response Cycle
● When a client application sends a request to
an API, the API processes the request and
sends back a response.
● This request-response cycle is the
fundamental mechanism behind how APIs
work.
● In this section, we'll explore the various
stages of the request-response cycle and
how they contribute to the functioning of
APIs.
10. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Comparison of Front-End vs. Back-End Development in the Context of API
Parameter Front-end Development Back-end Development
Purpose User Interface Server-side Logic
Focus Client-side Server-side
Languages HTML, CSS, JavaScript PHP, Ruby, Python, etc.
Frameworks React, Vue, Angular Express, Flask, Ruby on Rails, etc.
API Interaction Sends API requests Receives API requests
Data Handling JSON, XML, etc. Database Management
Security Client-side security Server-side security
11. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
HTTP Request Parameters
● Headers: Headers provide additional information about the request or the client making the request. They consist of a
key-value pair and are separated from the body of the request by a blank line. Common headers include:
○ Content-Type: Indicates the MIME type of the request body. For example, "application/json" for JSON data or
"text/plain" for plain text.
○ Accept: Indicates the MIME types that the client can accept in the response. For example, "application/json" or
"text/html".
○ Authorization: Contains authentication credentials for the request. For example, a JWT token or a basic
authentication username and password.
● Body: The body of an HTTP request contains data that's sent by the client to the server. It's usually only used for POST,
PUT, and PATCH requests, but can be used for other methods as well. The format of the request body depends on the
Content-Type header.
Common types include:
○ application/json: JSON data
○ application/x-www-form-urlencoded: URL-encoded data, e.g. "key1=value1&key2=value2"
○ multipart/form-data: Used for file uploads
● Cookies: Cookies are small pieces of data that are stored on the client-side and sent with each request. They're often
used for authentication, tracking user sessions, and storing user preferences. Cookies are sent in the HTTP request headers
and are automatically included in subsequent requests to the same domain.
For example:
○ Cookie: session_id=1234567890abcdef; user_preferences={"theme":"dark"}
12. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
HTTP Request Parameters
● Path Parameters: Path parameters are used to
specify a specific resource or endpoint in the URL path.
They're denoted by a colon (:) followed by the
parameter name.
For example:
○ https://api.example.com/products/:id
● Query Parameters: Query parameters are key-value
pairs that are appended to the end of a URL. They're
used to filter or sort resources, or to provide
additional information about the request. They're
separated from the rest of the URL by a question
mark (?) and from each other by an ampersand (&).
For example:
○ https://api.example.com/products?category
=electronics&price_min=100
13. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Query Parameter Design
Query Parameters are a set of key-value pairs that are appended to the URL of a REST API endpoint. These
parameters can be used to filter, sort, and paginate data. They are an essential part of building flexible and
scalable REST APIs.
Definition:
Key Points:
● Query parameters are optional parameters that allow users to filter or modify the data returned by an API.
● They are added to the URL of an API endpoint after a ? character and separated by & characters.
● Query parameters should be used for filtering and pagination, while resource identifiers should be used for resource
identification.
● Keep query parameters short, meaningful, and consistent.
● Limit the number of query parameters to a reasonable number (ideally less than 10).
● Use default values for query parameters to simplify the API usage.
● Document the query parameters in the API documentation and provide clear examples of how to use them.
14. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Query Parameter Design
Examples:
● To filter data by a specific attribute, use a query parameter such as ?status=active to only retrieve records with an
active status.
● To sort data by a specific attribute, use a query parameter such as ?sort=name to sort the data by name.
● To paginate data, use a combination of limit and offset query parameters such as ?limit=10&offset=20 to retrieve the
next 10 records starting from the 20th record.
15. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Resource-oriented Design
Resource-oriented design is a design approach for building RESTful APIs that emphasizes the use of resources as
the core building blocks of the API. Each resource is represented by a unique URI, and clients can perform CRUD
(Create, Read, Update, and Delete) operations on the resources using the HTTP methods.
Definition:
Key Points:
● Resources are the central building blocks of a RESTful API and represent entities that clients can interact with.
● Each resource is identified by a unique URI and can be accessed using HTTP methods such as GET, POST, PUT, and
DELETE.
● Resources can be nested, allowing for the creation of complex data structures that can be navigated by clients.
● Resource-oriented design promotes a consistent and uniform API design that is easy to understand and use.
● The use of HATEOAS (Hypermedia as the Engine of Application State) is encouraged to provide clients with links to
related resources and actions they can perform on those resources.
16. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
HTTP Verb Design
HTTP Verb Design refers to the practice of using the appropriate HTTP methods (verbs) to perform actions on
resources in a REST API. HTTP methods provide a standardized way of indicating the type of action being taken on
a resource, and help to make APIs more predictable and self-explanatory.
Definition:
Key Points:
● Use GET to retrieve a resource or collection of resources. This is a safe and idempotent operation, meaning it can be
repeated without causing any side effects.
● Use POST to create a new resource or perform a non-idempotent operation that modifies an existing resource. POST
requests typically include a request body containing the data for the new or updated resource.
● Use PUT to update an existing resource. PUT requests replace the entire resource with the new data provided in the
request body.
● Use PATCH to perform a partial update of an existing resource. PATCH requests update only the fields that are
included in the request body, leaving all other fields unchanged.
● Use DELETE to delete a resource.
17. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
● GET /users - Retrieve a collection of users.
● GET /users/{id} - Retrieve a specific user.
● POST /users - Create a new user.
● PUT /users/{id} - Update an existing user.
● PATCH /users/{id} - Partially update an existing user.
● DELETE /users/{id} - Delete a specific user.
HTTP Verb Design
Examples:
● Use plural nouns to name resources.
● Use HTTP methods to represent the actions that can be performed on resources.
● Use HTTP status codes to provide meaningful responses to clients.
● Use hypermedia to provide links to related resources and actions that can be performed on them.
● Model resources based on the domain-specific requirements of the API.
● Support content negotiation to allow clients to request data in a format that they can consume.
● Document the API resources and their relationships in the API documentation.
Best Practices:
18. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
API endpoints
● An API endpoint is a specific URL that is used to access a particular resource on an API server.
● Endpoints typically consist of a base URL and a resource-specific path, allowing for targeted access to API
resources.
● In this section, we'll explore how API endpoints work, how to identify them, and how to use them in API
communication. For example:
https://api.example.com/products/1234
In this example, the endpoint is /products/1234. The API is hosted at https://api.example.com, and the endpoint is used to
identify a specific product with an ID of 1234. The API might return information about the product, or allow the client to update
or delete the product.
19. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Types of APIs
REST (Representational State Transfer) APIs are a type of web service that follow a set of architectural principles
and constraints. They use HTTP requests to retrieve and manipulate data, and typically return responses in JSON
or XML format.
Definition:
Key Points:
● REST APIs are stateless, meaning that each request contains all the information needed to process it.
● They use standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to perform CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete)
operations on resources.
● REST APIs are widely used and have become the de facto standard for web APIs.
Example:
● A popular example of a REST API is the Twitter API, which allows developers to retrieve tweets, post new tweets, and
perform other operations related to Twitter data.
20. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
HTTP Verbs (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
● HTTP verbs, also known as HTTP methods,
are an essential part of API communication.
● They define the type of request being made
and the action that needs to be performed on
the requested resource.
● In this section, we'll explore the different
HTTP verbs, their functionalities, and how
they are used in API communication.
21. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
HTTP Verbs (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
HTTP Verb Parameters Included CRUD Operation Usage
GET Query parameters Read Retrieving resources or data
POST Request body, headers Create
Creating a new resource or
data
PUT Request body, headers Update
Updating an existing resource
or data
PATCH Request body, headers Update
Partially updating an existing
resource or data
DELETE Query parameters, headers Delete
Deleting an existing resource
or data
22. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Status Code Category Description Example
1xx Informational
The request has been received and the
server is continuing to process it
100 Continue: The client should continue
sending the request
2xx Success
The request has been successfully received,
understood, and accepted
200 OK: The request was successful
3xx Redirection
The client must take additional action to
complete the request
301 Moved Permanently: The requested
resource has been moved permanently to a
new URL
4xx Client Error
The request contains bad syntax or cannot
be fulfilled by the server
404 Not Found: The requested resource
could not be found
5xx Server Error
The server failed to fulfill an apparently valid
request
500 Internal Server Error: An unexpected
condition was encountered by the server
HTTP Status Codes and their Descriptions
23. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Types of APIs
SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) APIs are a type of web service that use XML for data exchange. They
typically rely on a WSDL (Web Services Description Language) file to describe the service and its operations.
Definition:
Key Points:
● SOAP APIs are more rigid and have stricter rules compared to REST APIs.
● They use a contract-first approach, meaning that the WSDL file defines the operations, data types, and message
formats used by the API.
● SOAP APIs are often used in enterprise environments where reliability and security are critical.
Example:
● An example of a SOAP API is the Amazon Web Services (AWS) API, which provides various services such as cloud
storage, compute resources, and machine learning.
24. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Types of APIs
GraphQL is a query language and runtime for APIs that was developed by Facebook. It allows clients to request
exactly the data they need, and nothing more. GraphQL APIs use a single endpoint to retrieve data, and return
responses in JSON format.
Definition:
Key Points:
● GraphQL APIs allow clients to specify the exact data they need, reducing the amount of data transferred over the
network.
● They use a schema to define the types, fields, and operations available in the API.
● GraphQL APIs are gaining popularity due to their flexibility and efficiency.
Example:
● An example of a GraphQL API is the GitHub API, which allows developers to retrieve information about repositories,
pull requests, and other data related to GitHub.
25. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
API Authentication
Authentication is a mechanism that ensures only authorized users or
applications can access the API resources. It helps protect against
unauthorized access and ensures the security and integrity of data. There
are various methods for API authentication, and some of the commonly
used ones are:
Definition:
Types:
1. Basic Authentication
2. API Keys
3. OAuth
26. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
API Authentication - Basic Authentication
It's a simple authentication method where the user provides their username and password with each request. The
server verifies the credentials and responds with the requested data if the credentials are valid.
Definition:
Key Points:
● It's easy to implement.
● It's not secure as the credentials are sent in plain text, making it vulnerable to interception.
● It's suitable for low-risk applications or internal APIs.
● The client sends the Authorization header with the "Basic" keyword followed by the base64-encoded username and
password.
Example:
27. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
API Authentication - API Keys
It's a more secure method than Basic Authentication, where the client sends an API key with each request. The
server verifies the API key and responds with the requested data if the key is valid.
Definition:
Key Points:
● It's easy to implement and provides a higher level of security than Basic Authentication.
● The API key can be revoked or regenerated to prevent unauthorized access.
● The client sends the API key in the request header or query parameter.
Example:
28. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
API Authentication - OAuth
It's an industry-standard protocol for authorization that enables third-party applications to access resources on
behalf of a user without exposing the user's credentials.
Definition:
Key Points:
● It's secure and allows users to control which resources a third-party application can access.
● It involves a series of redirects between the client, the authorization server, and the resource server.
● The client requests an access token from the authorization server, and the access token is used to access the
protected resources.
● There are different types of OAuth grants, such as Authorization Code Grant, Implicit Grant, Client Credentials Grant,
and Resource Owner Password Credentials Grant.
Example:
29. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
API Tokens & Their Types
A token is a piece of data that's used to authenticate a user or a client making a request. Tokens are often used in
place of passwords, as they can be more secure and flexible.
Definition:
Types:
1. Access Tokens: Access tokens are used to authenticate a client to an API. They're typically issued after a
client has been authenticated using a username and password, or some other form of authentication.
Access tokens are often time-limited and must be refreshed periodically.
2. Refresh Tokens: Refresh tokens are used to request new access tokens after an old one has expired.
They're often longer-lived than access tokens and can be used to authenticate a client without requiring
the user to re-enter their credentials.
3. JWT Tokens: JWT (JSON Web Tokens) are a type of access token that are encoded as a JSON object.
They contain information about the user and their permissions, as well as an expiration date. JWT tokens
are often used in REST APIs.
4. Session Tokens: Session tokens are used to authenticate a user for the duration of a session. They're
often stored in a cookie and sent with each request.
30. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
API Design Best Practices - Versioning
Versioning is the process of managing different versions of an API to ensure backward compatibility and smooth
transition for users.
Definition:
Key Points:
● Versioning helps developers to introduce changes to the API without breaking existing client applications.
● It allows clients to choose which version of the API to use.
● Version numbers should be included in the URI or header of the request to indicate the desired version.
Examples:
➔ https://api.example.com/v1/products/
➔ https://api.example.com/v2/products/
31. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
API Design Best Practices - Documentation
API documentation provides developers with information about the API, including its resources,
parameters, and responses.
Definition:
Key Points:
● Clear and concise documentation helps developers understand how to use the API.
● Documentation should include examples of requests and responses, as well as code snippets and
SDKs.
● Good documentation can also improve the adoption rate of the API.
Examples:
● Documentation for Stripe API: https://stripe.com/docs/api
32. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
API Design Best Practices - Error Handling
Error handling refers to how an API responds when a client sends an invalid request or when something
goes wrong on the server-side.
Definition:
Key Points:
● Error messages should be clear, concise, and informative.
● Errors should be returned in a consistent format, such as JSON or XML.
● HTTP status codes should be used to indicate the nature of the error.
Examples:
33. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
API Design Best Practices - Performance
API performance refers to how quickly an API can process requests and return responses to clients.
Definition:
Key Points:
● APIs should be designed to minimize response times and maximize scalability.
● Caching and compression can be used to improve performance.
● Load testing can be used to identify bottlenecks and optimize performance.
Examples:
● Amazon Web Services (AWS) API Gateway provides features such as caching, request throttling,
and performance monitoring to help optimize API performance.
34. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Advanced API Concepts
APIs are an essential part of modern software development, and
there are various advanced concepts that developers need to be
aware of to create efficient and effective APIs
Some of the advanced API concepts are:
● Rate Limiting
● Webhooks
● Caching
● Real-time APIs
● Custom HTTP Headers
35. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Rate Limiting
Rate limiting is the process of controlling the number of requests that a client can send to an API within a specific time
interval. It's a common technique used to prevent abuse of APIs, protect servers from overloading, and maintain consistent
API performance. The API server typically imposes a limit on the number of requests a client can make over a certain period,
and if the limit is exceeded, the server returns an error response.
Definition:
Key Points:
● Rate limiting is used to control the number of requests that a client can make to an API in a given time period.
● It helps prevent abuse of APIs, protects servers from overloading, and maintains consistent API performance.
● The API server imposes a limit on the number of requests a client can make, and if the limit is exceeded, the server
returns an error response.
36. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Rate Limiting
Example:
● Twitter's API allows developers to make a limited number of requests per 15-minute window to prevent abuse and
maintain API performance.
37. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Webhooks
Webhooks are a way for APIs to send real-time notifications to other applications or services. They enable applications to
receive data and respond to events as they happen, rather than polling for updates at regular intervals. A webhook sends a
request to a specified endpoint when a specific event occurs, such as a new user sign-up or a payment confirmation.
Definition:
Key Points:
● Webhooks are used to send real-time notifications to other applications or services.
● They enable applications to receive data and respond to events as they happen, rather than polling for updates at
regular intervals.
● A webhook sends a request to a specified endpoint when a specific event occurs.
Example:
● Stripe's API uses webhooks to notify merchants of important events, such as a new payment or a refund.
39. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Caching
Caching is the process of storing frequently requested data in memory or on disk to reduce the response time of API
requests. It involves storing the API response in a cache and retrieving it from the cache when the same request is made
again. Caching can significantly improve API performance, reduce server load, and improve scalability.
Definition:
Key Points:
● Caching is used to store frequently requested data to reduce the response time of API requests.
● It involves storing the API response in a cache and retrieving it from the cache when the same request is made again.
● Caching can significantly improve API performance, reduce server load, and improve scalability.
● What Is a Cache Miss? A cache miss is an event in which a system or application makes a request to retrieve data
from a cache, but that specific data is not currently in cache memory.
41. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Real-time APIs
Real-time APIs are designed to provide immediate updates to clients as soon as data changes on the server. They are
commonly used in applications such as chat applications, gaming, and financial trading platforms. Real-time APIs use
technologies such as websockets and long-polling to establish and maintain a persistent connection between the client and
server.
Definition:
Key Points:
● Real-time APIs provide immediate updates to clients as soon as data changes on the server.
● They are commonly used in applications such as chat applications, gaming, and financial trading platforms.
● Real-time APIs use technologies such as websockets and long-polling to establish and maintain a persistent
connection between the client and server.
43. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Custom HTTP Headers
Custom HTTP headers provide a way to send additional metadata along with an HTTP request or response. This metadata
can be used for various purposes, such as authentication, caching, and tracking.
Definition:
Key Points:
● Use unique header names that are specific to your API. Avoid using generic names that may conflict with other APIs
or HTTP standards.
● Use the correct syntax for custom headers: start the header name with "X-", followed by a descriptive name in all
caps, separated by hyphens (e.g. "X-API-TOKEN").
● Use custom headers to provide additional information about the request or response. This may include authentication
tokens, caching directives, or tracking information.
● Be mindful of security considerations when using custom headers. Avoid sending sensitive information in headers
that can be intercepted or modified by third parties.
● Use standardized headers whenever possible, instead of custom headers, to ensure interoperability with other APIs
and clients.
44. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
● X-API-TOKEN: Used to provide an API
authentication token.
● X-CACHE-TTL: Used to set the time-to-
live for cached responses.
● X-FORWARDED-FOR: Used to identify the
originating IP address of a client
making a request through a proxy.
● X-REQUEST-ID: Used to track a specific
request through the system.
● X-RESPONSE-TIME: Used to provide the
time it took to process a request and
generate a response.
Custom HTTP Headers
Examples:
45. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Overview of API Performance
API performance refers to the speed and responsiveness of an API when
processing requests and returning responses. It plays a crucial role in providing
a positive user experience, optimizing system resources, and enabling efficient
communication between clients and servers.
Why is API Performance important?
1. User Experience: Fast API responses contribute to a seamless user experience, reducing
wait times and enhancing overall satisfaction.
2. Productivity: Efficient APIs enable developers to retrieve data quickly, improving their
productivity and allowing them to build responsive applications.
3. Scalability: High-performance APIs can handle increased traffic and user loads without
sacrificing response times or causing service interruptions.
46. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Factors affecting API Performance
Latency
Latency is the delay between sending a request and receiving a
response. It can be affected by network latency, server processing
time, and database queries. Minimizing latency is crucial for fast
API performance.
Example: A social media API that takes several seconds to
retrieve user posts due to slow database queries experiences high
latency, leading to poor performance.
Bandwidth
Bandwidth refers to the data transfer capacity of the network.
Insufficient bandwidth can result in slow API responses, especially
when transmitting large amounts of data.
Example: An image upload API that restricts bandwidth to a very
low value may cause slow uploads and hinder user experience.
CPU Utilization
API performance can be impacted by high CPU utilization on the
server-side. Complex computations, heavy processing, or inefficient
code can strain server resources and result in slower response
times.
Example: An API that performs resource-intensive computations
on each request may experience high CPU utilization, leading to
slower response times.
External Dependencies
APIs relying on external services or integrations may experience
performance issues if those dependencies encounter delays or
outages. It's important to monitor and optimize interactions with
external services to maintain performance.
Example: An API that relies on a third-party payment gateway
may experience slow response times if the gateway experiences
downtime or network issues.
47. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Example of APIs - Node.js with Express.js
● This example uses Express.js, a popular Node.js
framework for building APIs.
● It defines two API endpoints: one for retrieving users
(GET request) and another for creating a new user
(POST request).
● The logic for retrieving users and creating a new user is
not shown in the code snippet.
● The server listens on port 3000 for incoming requests.
48. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Example of APIs - Integration in React.js
● This example uses the axios library to make an HTTP
GET request to the /api/users endpoint.
● The useEffect hook is used to fetch the users when the
component mounts.
● The fetched users are stored in the component's state
using the useState hook.
● The list of users is rendered in the component's JSX,
mapping over the users array.
49. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Example of APIs - Ruby on Rails with ActionController
● This example demonstrates a UsersController in Ruby on
Rails, a popular web framework.
● It defines two actions: index for retrieving users (GET
request) and create for creating a new user (POST
request).
● The logic for retrieving users and creating a new user is
not shown in the code snippet.
● It utilizes strong parameters (user_params method) to
whitelist and sanitize the request parameters.
● The response is rendered as JSON, and appropriate HTTP
status codes are set.
50. Author: Muhammad Jahanzaib
www.excellium.online
Example of APIs - Integration in Angular
● This Angular component fetches a list of users from the backend API
and displays their names in an unordered list.
● The User interface defines the structure of a user object.
● The UserListComponent class implements the OnInit interface and
defines the component's logic.
● The http property of type HttpClient is injected via dependency
injection to make HTTP requests.
● In the ngOnInit method, the fetchUsers function is called to retrieve
the users when the component initializes.
● The fetchUsers method uses the http.get method to make an HTTP
GET request to the /users endpoint.
● The fetched users are assigned to the users property using the
subscription's success callback.
● If an error occurs during the HTTP request, the error is logged to the
console using the error callback.
● The list of users is rendered in the component's template using the
*ngFor directive.