API stands for Application Programming Interface. API integration refers to the process of connecting two software applications to exchange data and enhance productivity. Consequently, APIs are powerful tools that allow seamless sharing of important data between linked systems. In a nutshell, this is the same as a user interacting with an application via a screen, keyboard, or other input device through a User Interface. In this article, you will learn how to integrate API and build stunning websites.
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What Are API Integration Tools?
Software engineers use API integration tools, which are computer programs that permit communication between various software programs, to implement API integrations. API integrating platforms are also available to help software analysts and developers monitor data effectively and create connected systems.
What Are the Examples of API Integration?
Here are some examples of API integration
- Payment Gateway API: Integrating a payment gateway API into your web app enables users to make payments seamlessly and securely.
- Email Verification API: You can integrate email verification API with email marketing platforms, allowing businesses to verify email addresses, reduce the bounce rate and improve their email deliverability.
- Order Management Systems API: Integrating an order management system API can help businesses manage orders efficiently, track shipping, and reduce errors.
- Cloud Storage API: Integrating a cloud storage API allows users to store and share critical data across linked systems.
- Geolocation API: Businesses can use geolocation APIs to build their mobile apps and websites with location-based details, including the user’s exact coordinates, weather information, and other connected information.
Do you want to learn more about APIs? You can read our blog articles.
How to Achieve API Integration?
Platforms for integrating APIs offer robust tools for connecting cloud apps, databases, and software programs. These platforms abstract the complexity of connecting multiple APIs and monitor data effectively.
In this section, we will show you how you can do the API integration process with different APIs to build stunning web apps. We will use APILayer APIs as examples, but the same principles can be applied to any API.
First, you need the following:
- A suitable text editor (such as Visual Studio Code or Sublime Text)
- knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript programming languages
- API key
Next, you need to follow the below steps.
- Visit the API marketplace and review the API’s documentation to understand the API endpoints and parameters.
- Choose a programming language and HTTP library that you want to use to make the API request.
- Use the API credentials and the programming language of your choice to make API requests to the endpoints.
- Parse the JSON response from the APILayer API and integrate it into your web application.
Here is an example of how to make a request to the APILayer Currency Data API using JavaScript. This change endpoint allows you to specify a time limit and request a change (both margin and percentage) of one or more currencies in relation to a Source Currency.
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var myHeaders = new Headers(); myHeaders.append("apikey", "{API-KEY}"); var requestOptions = { method: 'GET', redirect: 'follow', headers: myHeaders }; fetch("https://api.apilayer.com/currency_data/change?start_date={start_date}&end_date={end_date}", requestOptions) .then(response => response.text()) .then(result => console.log(result)) .catch(error => console.log('error', error)); |
Replace “API-KEY” in the code with the API key you will receive after requesting the API. Also, substitute appropriate values for the start date and end date. You will see the following response.
What Is the Most Commonly Used API?
Software companies commonly use the Representational State Transfer (REST) API for web services. REST APIs use a simple and uniform interface to enable communication between web systems using HTTP requests. REST APIs use HTTP verbs to represent different actions, such as GET for retrieving data and POST for sending data to a server. Data is typically transferred in JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format.
How Can API Integration Platforms Help You?
Managing multiple APIs can be overwhelming and time-consuming. However, API integration platforms simplify the process by providing pre-built connectors to different APIs, making connecting cloud apps and software components easier. These platforms also provide comprehensive API documentation, making it easier to develop custom integrations and create new APIs.
Building custom links to facilitate communication between different programs might be necessary when constructing an app. With an API integration platform, you can build custom integration apps that suit your particular process needs. These customized integrations boost productivity, reduce errors, and enable seamless operation of your business systems.
What Is the Cost of Building an API Integration?
The cost associated with developing an API connection varies depending on factors such as integration complexity, the number of interconnected systems, and the tools that are relied on for the software. However, with the right API integration platform, you can build a robust API integration at a reasonable cost, improving your business processes and enhancing service delivery.
What Should You Consider When Building an App?
When building an app, it’s important to consider the various software elements and cloud apps that need to be connected through API integration. Integrating different systems can improve operational efficiency, automate jobs, and improve the user experience. With the help of an API integration platform, developers can easily connect databases and cloud services and transform data to meet their business needs.
However, This is just one aspect of creating a robust software system. Low-code automation platforms can be incredibly helpful in ensuring the seamless integration of different software elements. These platforms allow developers to use simple drag-and-drop options to devise personalized combinations with APIs, helping them to incorporate the APIs into their applications more comfortably. By properly integrating APIs with other software elem, developers can unleash the full potential of their app, leading to increased customer satisfaction and profitability.
API integrations must be scalable to handle increased data volume and traffic. Using an integration platform that processes multiple API requests all at once will enable scalability.
How to Reduce Errors?
API integration optimizes data management, improves communication and reporting, and minimizes complex data transfer errors. Automation API integration uses specialized tools and software to automate the integration of APIs, reducing the risk of human error and improving workflow efficiency. This critical aspect of digital transformation leads to more reliable data, better decision-making, and improved performance and productivity.
Why Is APILayer the Best API Marketplace?
APILayer provides a variety of APIs that can be used to build web apps, including currency conversion, address validation, and phone number verification. These APIs are easy to integrate and come with robust documentation and support.
- Phone number verification API: Number Verification API
- email verification API: Email Verification API
- Social media API: YouTube API
- Weather data API: WeatherStack
Explore more APIs in our curated API marketplace trusted by over 1 million developers!
In conclusion, API integrations power processes by seamlessly sharing critical data between software applications. API integrating platforms and tools makes achieving this easier, creating connected systems that enhance productivity and improve service delivery. So, when building a web app, remember to consider API integration!
Do you want to try out APILayer APIs? Get started today!
FAQs
How Does API Integration Take Place?
API integration connects different systems and applications through programming languages and specialized software. Endpoints are created to enable data transfer and real-time communication. REST, SOAP, and JSON are some integration methods used depending on the organization’s needs.
What Is an Integration App?
A software application that enables two or more separate applications to work together and share data in a seamless and automated manner.
What Is Single API Integration?
It refers to the process of using a single API to connect multiple software applications and enable them to share data and functionality.
What Is Public API?
An interface for application programming made publicly available to software developers.
