Know your APIs

API

          API is an abbreviation for Application Programming Interface. Consider it as small bits that join together to form an application despite variance in programming languages, data formats, operating systems such as MAC, windows, linux. For services to communicate with each other, integration of APIs are needed, also for successful digital transformation.

                                                          APIs are used to transfer data, connect devices, back-end services connectivity, front-end functionality, including a handful of business tasks. The bridge to communicate amongst various incompatible technologies is an API; the API comprises functionalities that makes it possible to connect to the technologies with varied file formats and programming languages.

Types of API

  1. Open API-            These APIs are used for public access, with no restrictions for anyone to use them. User experiences can be improved by using these APIs as third parties to allow and introduce innovative ideas. Developers can easily use them to encourage business innovations.
  2. Partner API-          These APIs have restricted access via licenses. They can only be used within business partners or between business and a client which involves payment.
  3. Private API-          These API can only be used by employees within a company or privately. The intranet makes use of private APIs to streamline workflow.
  4. RESTful API-       Representational State Transfer is an architectural style of API which uses HTTP requests to access data as well as use it.
  5. Composite API-    To speed up execution of tasks and to improve performances, composite API is used by combining data and service.
  6. SOAP API-          An abbreviation for Simple Object Access Protocol. It has a strict and defined security protocol.
  7. XML-RPC-           Extensive Markup Language and Remote Procedure Call is used to encode the API calls and use HTTP to transport them. It is both human and machine readable.
  8. JSON-RPC-                   RPC uses JSON for encoding the API calls. Maximum browser compatibility is provided by this API and is also simple for implementation or usage.
  9. IIoT Restful API- With the help of this API, external system integration can be enabled. Modifying tag groups, adding new tags, import export of CSV files can be made. Reading and writing on both real-time and historical data can be done whenever necessary. Integration into any code base that communicates via HTTP, .NET, java, python, and various scripting languages. Data can be supplied from external data sources such as mobile devices, arduino, raspberry pi to OAS server.

The feature to create a common interface between various application platforms is available. Automated OAS server configuration and deployment makes it possible for a number of customizations.

The APIs are flexible and allow running a process remotely. The scalability feature of an API connects all the programs, systems, services by the method of API calls. The functionalities are integrated together. Using the OAS platform gives the developer an advantage to include various development tools to build a customized application including system integrations to be executed in any environment. Managing the APIs by the developer, error elimination within the new integrated system, stabilization of the system, along with management of all the APIs from a remote location is also open by automating APIs.

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