Building an API is fun, right?
In this article, I will explain what APIs are, why you need them, and we’ll dive into API specifications, documentation, and more.
Programming is made simpler by using APIs to abstract away certain implementations, and expose actions or endpoints to developers who need to consume the endpoints when building applications.
But APIs can get pretty complex depending on the application’s code base and use cases. This means that testing your API endpoints might be a tricky process after developing them. Fortunately, there are amazing tools out there that I will share to help you test your APIs efficiently.
Table of Contents
- Introduction to APIs
- Types of APIs
- Why do we need APIs?
- API Specifications
- API Testing tools
- API Documentation
- Conclusion
What is an API?
An API (Application Programming Interface) serves as a middleware that lets you channel data between software products.
You can use it to define requests that have been made, handle business logic, the and manage data formats that should be used and the conventions to adhere to when building software products.
Types of APIs
There are three main types of APIs, which are:
- Private
- Public/Partner
- External
#api #javascript #python #react #vue
