Tech Byte - APIs

"Amazon today simplified smart locks for Alexa, by adding a Door Lock API to its Alexa Skills Kit. This API, or application program interface, is designed to improve voice commands for lock partners Schlage, Yale, Kwikset, August, Vivint and Z-Wave."

"Ford opens its SYNC 3 platform to developers via API to let mobile apps interface with its cars."

What are APIs?


The term "API" stands for Application Programming Interface. APIs provide an interface for two software applications to communicate over the Internet.

From a business point of view, the APIs are essentially business capabilities published over the Internet for business partners to use.

For example, Twitter, Facebook, Google and many other software giants let programmers communicate with their applications to exploit the offered functionality through published APIs.




What are some of the benefits these businesses enjoy by offering their data & services through APIs?


Some examples:

• Twitter, through its APIs, offers its data and value added services to anyone who is interested in that data e.g. survey companies, media houses, publicists etc and has some free as well as chargeable plans for them. 
• IBM offers its IBM Watson APIs to allow developers write bots with artificial intelligence 
• Twilio offers its APIs for developers to write telephony application and charges users for making use of its APIs every time a call is made using them. 
• Netflix offers its APIs so that other applications can also make use of these APIs to offer Netflix contents further and thereby increasing Netflix's market presence. 

API Strategy - does such a thing exist?

APIs offer new business avenues for the existing business assets. They also enable developers to improve existing content distribution systems for profitability e.g. Netflix is often called as an API company for having an effective API strategy for its content distribution.

APIs promote innovation, collaboration, better user experience, and thus more business opportunities for the digital assets of business; so having an effective API strategy in place suits business interests.

So which are the most used APIs out there?

According to a report by DevPost, following are the most used APIs on the Internet -

Picture courtesy TechCrunch.com


References:

• 2017 - The Year of The API Economy (Forbes)
• Why Do We Need APIs (SlideShare)
• Amundsen's Dogs (SlideShare)
• The Value of APIs for Business (MuleSoft)
• API Strategy (Computer Associates)
• Why Your API is Your Strategy (3Scale.net)
• What is an API (UpWork.com)
• Samsung Smart Home APIs
• Amazon Alexa to Unlock Door (Forbes)
• Twilio APIs