APIs are at the core of information technology trend. Whether it is mobile device, cloud computing, the Internet of Things, Big Data or social networks, everything relies on web-based interfaces to connect their distributed components and deliver innovative and disruptive solutions to every industry.
There are three primary reasons why web APIs have gained traction over the last decade:
Simplicity – Web APIs speaks a simple language: HTTP, the language of the web. This promotes easy integration from any programming language—no special libraries required.
Lower Cost – Open source technologies have reduced the cost of building web APIs compared with the previous generation of technologies, which required expensive middleware and training to deliver them successfully.
Higher Demand – From single-page applications (SPAs) to native and web-based mobile apps, the need for mobile accessibility and anytime, anywhere access has shifted the focus from HTML based delivery to the separation of data and capabilities from the presentation layer.
APIs as Capabilities – The most important products in your organization are the business and technical capabilities your applications deliver. These capabilities, when combined into solutions, enable your customers, your partners, and your workforce to solve everyday problems and achieve their desired outcomes. With the emergence of messaging platforms, bots, and voice interfaces, things are dramatically changing.
We are starting to see the focus shift from building applications to delivering capabilities via APIs that are then integrated into these platforms. Rather than users going to an application to get things done, we are now experiencing the shift to applications going to the user through these third-party platforms.
Three examples of how businesses have used APIs to accomplish one or more of these goals:
FEDEX
The FedEx API increases partner efficiencies while simplifying their own logistics by building on those offered by FedEx. The initial release of their API offered organizations a great deal of insight into shipping logistics, which had been an opaque process just a few years ago. Now, every FedEx Office location is effectively “powered by an API” that allows anyone, anywhere to upload documents for printing at a nearby location.
BEST BUY
Best Buy has opened an API to adapt to changing customer relationships. They have massive stores with vast inventories and they suffer from the “showrooming” problem. Potential customers come in, browse the merchandise, and once they find the item, they use a site like Amazon to find a better price and place the order. Best Buy opted to open its API to developers, making huge amounts of data open to third parties. The company has been able to build a community that is willing, and even excited, to explore the data and ways that it can be used.
NETFLIX
When Netflix originally started mailing DVDs in 1997, its competition was Blockbuster and the cable providers. Over the next few years, Netflix quietly consumed the DVD rental market while preparing to
launch its streaming service in February 2007. Today, it is difficult to find a media device that doesn’t have Netflix streaming support. This is in no small part the result of a strategic API initiative. Netflix ensures that its API is easily integrated onto any devices that connects to a screen. The next time you use Netflix, think about each interaction you have up to the point of streaming a show or movie. Each interaction is powered by an API capability offered by its device integration API.
Government projects in India too are gaining traction for Web APIs. India being the largest democracy in the world is a home to tons of schemes, benefits and hosts multiple web applications for capturing database. Often sharing data with systems that need inputs to help faster delivery of schemes and benefits to end users; often some of the schemes may even be issued to users who do not qualify. But, open API’s promote easy sharing and faster integration of systems to deliver quality services.
