In this blog post, you will know what is Application Programming Interface (API), and its significance for improving applications and enhancing user experiences. They build uncomplicated coding for the developers and help reuse the apps’ functionalities. They also remove the extra cost burden of expensive software. API helps connect two applications and perform predefined actions. It helps to share data between people and organizations. So it works as a bridge between those applications. It makes data accessible, and secure and promotes business growth through third-party apps. Thus improving communication between companies. This article will give you an insight on what’s an API?
What is an Application Programming Interface (API)?
The Application Programming Interface (API) is a mechanism that allows interaction between two software components. The communication goes through some predefined protocols and a set of definitions. Here, the application indicates any kind of software with specific functionalities. The interface is a medium to communicate between two software through requests and responses. The developers create that interface (specifically, they make those requests and responses) with the help of coding. But it is not necessary to know the internal implementation of the API for the end users. The most common API (REST) work process is involved with the exchange of data between the end-user/client and server. The client sends a request to the server for data. The server responds to the client by sending data.
Why are APIs created?
The APIs make lots of things easy for us. These are the benefits of using an API-
- APIs help to integrate with new applications and accelerate the development speed, as you can add new functionalities by extending the existing code with the help of API. Also, the API integrations help to get current data updates between the client and server. A practical example of API integration is the automatic time and date sync on your laptop and phone.
- As the APIs can increase the development speed, thus companies can expect the early release of a new application. So they can change the deployment and arrival time of an app. The changes become effortless with the blessings of API. There is no need to rewrite the entire code. Thus it becomes a great deal in innovations.
- Any business can leverage its presence and fulfill the customers’ requirements with the help of APIs. They can give access to the internal DB or additional purchase offers for the users by providing free or paid API services. By doing this, they can maintain a good relationship with the customers.
- The API is the entrance between two software systems. If there will be any code changes in this software then the API doesn’t get any impact. Thus it protects them from any kind of software regression.
- The e-commerce service providers use API to protect customers’ personal and payment data from malicious activities. APIs provide security through authentication tokens and API keys. The token checks the identity of an authorized user, and the keys check the identity of an application to make an API call. So, the APIs deliver your data safely to the server and minimize security leakages.
- APIs help e-commerce companies to handle highly demanding products smoothly on the occasion of a sale. The APIs allow scaling up the site for on-demand products. Also, they connect with cloud service providers and make the site running and flexible during the sudden traffic increment.
Some examples of APIs
There are several examples of using APIs in our day-to-day life. Here we will mention some common examples to give you a clear idea about the usage of APIs.
- Log-in: Suppose you have an account on a software platform. When you want to log into that platform, then you might need to log in with the options like - Login using Google or Login using Facebook. That means you have to log in with your data from another platform. So there is communication between these two platforms. Who is there to help interact between them? It’s An API.
- Updates: Similarly, you are getting date, time, and weather updates from Google on your smartphone and computer. Here Google interacts with other (date, time, and weather) servers to show you the results. Also, here are the APIs that connect Google to those servers.
- Banking: Money transfers between two banks, payments in e-commerce sites, payments with scanning QR codes, etc. – everywhere we are manipulating APIs.
- Google Maps: It provides locations, road directions, and addresses from Geo-location with the help of API.
- Travel booking: You can book cabs, flights, and hotels and get updates about transport mediums through the API services.
Enabling Google API
You must be signed in as a Super Admin to perform this step.
- Login to your Google Admin Console.
- Go to Security > API reference.
- Verify that the Enable API access box is checked.
- At the bottom, click Save.
- For reference, here is Google's official support page.
Now your APIs are connected to the Google Workspace Cloud services.
What is Foresight?
Foresight is a SaaS platform that aids companies to organize and automate Google Workspace workflows without knowing how to code. It helps users and administrators to easily design different business workflows that are not typically available with native Google Cloud Services.
It integrates with different APIs of Google Workspace Cloud services, for example, Google Groups API, Google User, Device, or Calendar APIs and enhances the productivity of Google Workspace. Prerequisites for this task are- a Google Account and an installed Chrome Browser with an updated version. Also, you must have a basic knowledge of Foresight.
Foresight leverages APIs to connect with Google Workspace cloud services.
Final words
Hopefully, now you have a clear understanding of what an API is, its features and usages. Now, with Foresight automate your workflow across the Google Workspace cloud seamlessly. So explore APIs with Foresight. You can refer to other related articles like Foresight Quick Start.
