Customize and scale
Integrate with virtually anything
Built for HIPAA compliance
Multistore and multivendor ready
Ideal for any bidding type
Use any merchant services
Search and filter through all our content and find what you're looking for in no time.
Get an in-depth overview of popular online solutions that our clients have benefited from.
Browse through our collection of articles that offer professional insight & opinions.
Stay current on all things Clarity with posts about our solutions and general Clarity news.
A B2B marketplace that enables buyers and suppliers worldwide to trade with buyers and suppliers within Africa.
Merck Animal Health, is a research-driven company that develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of veterinary medicines.
Serving nearly 20 Million international travellers, San Diego Airport's website is busy!
Multistore and multivendor capability
A Beginner's Guide: What is an API? What Are Applcation Programming Interfaces? Time is money and every one now and then, we look for ways to save it. Whether it is a businessman or a coder, time is becoming essential for all kinds of entities. Industries are moving towards solutions that help them in saving time while ensuring complete productivity and security. They are developing links with other organizations to increase their growth. With technological advancement, boosting growth is not as hard as it was in the 90s'. Nowadays, phones are getting smarter and with these devices, users can share information through apps and as well as through the web. API (Application Programming Interface) is used when sharing the data/information. Computer scientists/engineers are pretty familiar with the term API. API, also known as Application Programming Interface, is a software that allows two applications to communicate with each other. Let's look at an example. Imagine you are on a bus traveling to Arizona. Think of the driver as a part of the system. To achieve communication between you and the driver, conductors come to the rescue. Now, that conductor is an API, but what is an API from a technical point of view. An API can be defined as a link between two processes, providing them with the control to exchange data. In simple words, the API definition is "An interface that is capable of providing interactions between omnichannel software". Moreover, APIs can also be defined as a list of operations that are used by coders and programmers. The interface can also control access to hardware components and software resources. When developing a program, either a coder can compile the code from scratch, integrating every button/option or they can deploy API. With Application Programming Interface (API), the developer doesn't have to know the mechanics behind the button, they just have to verify whether API integration is possible or not. API enables developers to save time as it contains pre-build implementation features that can do the hectic work. Moreover, this also helps a coder to reduce the code, making it clutter-free and easy to understand. Understanding Application Programming Interface Keys What is an API Key? To call the application, authentication is required and for that API key is used. But, what is an API key? The API key depends on the entities using it and what services it is being used for. Look at the API key as a hidden token that is used along with web services request for identifying the origin of the request. In simple words, the API key simplifies the identities for you. The API key consists of two main steps. Recognition: This step is used for identifying the calling application. With this information, the service provider can track the caller and ensure the caller doesn't damage the resource. Access Control: After the authentication, the service provider gives access to the calling application. "There are millions of APIs available out there..." Types of API Public APIs are readily available to every developer publicly. Public APIs or also known as Open APIs, that are distributed freely over the internet. I am pretty sure that you listen to Spotify. Now, have you noticed, Spotify lets you sign-in using Facebook. Now, when you press the "Log-in with Facebook" button, it sends a request to Facebook's API, then a pop-up verifies the information and lets you use the music streaming service. Another API example is when you are checking out from Amazon, users select "Pay with PayPal". The same mechanics are followed here, but this time, PayPal receives the request. Have you ever heard of the word Web Services? Well, Services is another example of Open APIs (Public APIs). This type follows the specs of Web Services Description Language (WSDL) that is an alternative to XML. Web services use the traditional method called SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) and SOAP is a channel capable of sending XML documents over HTML. However, nowadays, REST (Representational State Transfer) is used. REST contains modernized design principles that can handle any type of media. In REST API, whenever the request is made to the resource's URL, a response is generated that is formatted in JSON, HTML, and XML. Examples: There are millions of APIs available out there. You use some of these APIs in your daily life and you'll have seen some of the integrations somewhere. Weather snippets like Google Search, Apple's Weather app. Moreover, if you type your city's name on the Google search bar, you see a dedicated section that contains weather information Another API example is bots that remind you to drink water, stretch, get fresh air. Along with that, the API also notify you when new movies are released. What's In Store for API Development? API in the Future Earlier, API was only used for sharing data with other parties. For example, getting Facebook names, friend lists, etc. However, smartphones have changed the way of implementing the Application Programming Interface. As, you know, companies are getting smarter day by day and that means, they need for specific web page or Android/iOS app, and it is very difficult for developers to write the same code for three different platforms. So, API (specifically REST API) is perfect for solving the issue. To compete with the market, Companies are developing their API so they can decouple themselves and stop relying on social media applications. I would like to conclude the topic "What is an API" by saying as we go deep into the future, there is a huge chance the APIs will be around us, and information sharing will be smarter than ever.
Time is money and every one now and then, we look for ways to save it. Whether it is a businessman or a coder, time is becoming essential for all kinds of entities. Industries are moving towards solutions that help them in saving time while ensuring complete productivity and security. They are developing links with other organizations to increase their growth. With technological advancement, boosting growth is not as hard as it was in the 90s'.
Nowadays, phones are getting smarter and with these devices, users can share information through apps and as well as through the web. API (Application Programming Interface) is used when sharing the data/information.
Computer scientists/engineers are pretty familiar with the term API. API, also known as Application Programming Interface, is a software that allows two applications to communicate with each other. Let's look at an example. Imagine you are on a bus traveling to Arizona. Think of the driver as a part of the system. To achieve communication between you and the driver, conductors come to the rescue. Now, that conductor is an API, but what is an API from a technical point of view.
An API can be defined as a link between two processes, providing them with the control to exchange data. In simple words, the API definition is "An interface that is capable of providing interactions between omnichannel software". Moreover, APIs can also be defined as a list of operations that are used by coders and programmers. The interface can also control access to hardware components and software resources.
When developing a program, either a coder can compile the code from scratch, integrating every button/option or they can deploy API. With Application Programming Interface (API), the developer doesn't have to know the mechanics behind the button, they just have to verify whether API integration is possible or not. API enables developers to save time as it contains pre-build implementation features that can do the hectic work. Moreover, this also helps a coder to reduce the code, making it clutter-free and easy to understand.
To call the application, authentication is required and for that API key is used. But, what is an API key? The API key depends on the entities using it and what services it is being used for. Look at the API key as a hidden token that is used along with web services request for identifying the origin of the request. In simple words, the API key simplifies the identities for you.
The API key consists of two main steps.
Public APIs are readily available to every developer publicly. Public APIs or also known as Open APIs, that are distributed freely over the internet. I am pretty sure that you listen to Spotify. Now, have you noticed, Spotify lets you sign-in using Facebook. Now, when you press the "Log-in with Facebook" button, it sends a request to Facebook's API, then a pop-up verifies the information and lets you use the music streaming service. Another API example is when you are checking out from Amazon, users select "Pay with PayPal". The same mechanics are followed here, but this time, PayPal receives the request.
Have you ever heard of the word Web Services? Well, Services is another example of Open APIs (Public APIs). This type follows the specs of Web Services Description Language (WSDL) that is an alternative to XML. Web services use the traditional method called SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) and SOAP is a channel capable of sending XML documents over HTML. However, nowadays, REST (Representational State Transfer) is used. REST contains modernized design principles that can handle any type of media. In REST API, whenever the request is made to the resource's URL, a response is generated that is formatted in JSON, HTML, and XML.
Examples: There are millions of APIs available out there. You use some of these APIs in your daily life and you'll have seen some of the integrations somewhere.
Earlier, API was only used for sharing data with other parties. For example, getting Facebook names, friend lists, etc. However, smartphones have changed the way of implementing the Application Programming Interface. As, you know, companies are getting smarter day by day and that means, they need for specific web page or Android/iOS app, and it is very difficult for developers to write the same code for three different platforms.
So, API (specifically REST API) is perfect for solving the issue. To compete with the market, Companies are developing their API so they can decouple themselves and stop relying on social media applications. I would like to conclude the topic "What is an API" by saying as we go deep into the future, there is a huge chance the APIs will be around us, and information sharing will be smarter than ever.