Using APIs Flashcards
Purpose of APIs
APIs enable applications to communicate and share data or functionality, enhancing modularity and integration between services.
Example - A travel app using an API to pull real-time flight data from an airline’s system to display to users.
Advantages of APIs
APIs streamline integration, allow for reusability, enhance scalability, and speed up development by leveraging external data or services.
Example - Using a payment API, like Stripe, lets an app handle transactions without building its own payment system.
APIs - Examples of Use
APIs are used for integrating third-party services, automating tasks, and accessing data across different systems.
Example - A weather app using an API to fetch live weather data or a social media app using APIs to share posts across platforms like Twitter and Facebook.
How APIs Work
APIs enable communication by sending requests (e.g., GET, POST) from a client to a server, which processes the request and sends back a response.
Example - A mobile app sends a GET request to a weather API, and the server responds with the current temperature data.