API integration can be defined as the process of creating a means for two or more APIs to share data and communicate with each other without human interruption. It involves the use of APIs to enable communication between two web tools or applications. It allows organizations to automate their systems, enhance the seamless sharing of data, and integrate current applications.
Understanding APIs and API integrations
How do API integrations work?
Types of APIs
Internal vs. External vs. Partner APIs
Internal APIs are private and only used by your team, department, company, or organization.
External APIs, also known as public APIs or open APIs (which are not to be confused with OpenAPI), are publicly available APIs available for anyone to use.
Partner APIs are private and shared only with specific integration partners outside of your organization.
An API Also Provides a Layer of Security
Real World API examples:
What is the most commonly-used API for web services: REST
For web-based services (that businesses use for CRM, marketing platforms, etc.), the most popular and prevalent API is the REST API, essentially the spiritual successor to SOAP (a mature API developed in the 1990s that uses XML for message formats and may require an extensive XML framework to work with.) 70% of public APIs are REST APIs. REST APIs offer more flexibility, a gentler learning curve, and work directly from an HTTP URL rather than relying on XML.
How do REST APIs work?
How to build API integration?
Building an API integration from scratch requires a deep understanding of each system that you'd like to connect, plus no small amount of technical expertise. When planning your integration, consider using the following framework:
Why are API integrations important?
In the real world, you know that one-size-fits-all solutions rarely cover everything. You and your team have challenges and use cases that are unique to you.
Having a seamless API integration platform allows businesses to leverage existing application functions with other systems and applications.
Many companies provide APIs to their customers and partners to ensure that relevant data is shared seamlessly.
API documentation
API documentation describes what services an API offers and how to use those services, aiming to cover everything a client would need to know for practical purposes.
Documentation is crucial for the development and maintenance of applications using the API.
What is an API integration platform?
API integration platforms allow businesses to communicate information between multiple APIs. For example, a business may have an e-commerce API set up, an internal operations API, and a marketing API. The information from all of these APIs can be integrated using an API integration management platform.
Why do You Need an API Integration Platform?
API Integrations and Cloud Apps
API Integrations allow you to connect cloud apps.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of cloud apps exist today. This technology has firmly permeated the enterprise. According to the 2019 Annual SaaS Trends Report, companies with 100-250 employees use 99 apps across their organization, while companies with over 1000 employees use over 203 apps.
It is crucial to have these work seamlessly. This is where API Integrations come in.
Things to look for in the best API integration platforms
A better way to integrate your stack: General Automation Platforms (GAP)
A GAP has the following capabilities:
Full API integration: Tying together cloud-based services such as CRM, marketing automation, and task management for various use cases, including marketing, sales, customer success, operations, finance, and legal.
Rapid connector updates: Being flexible enough to spin up new point-to-point connectors as needed, as well as to regularly enhance its existing pool of connectors to fit your changing needs better.
Full automation with powerful branching & conditional logic: Automate processes using multiple cloud services, such as having marketing automation automatically update lead status in CRM based on conditional specs of your design.
Ease of use: A user-friendly interface that lets business users - not just engineers -directly integrate their tech stack to build automated workflows. The best GAPs have drag-and-drop interfaces that you can get started within just minutes.
Conclusion
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API - Wikipedia
What is an API? (Application Programming Interface) - API is the acronym for Application Programming Interface, which is a software intermediary that allows two applications to talk to each other. Each time you use an app like Facebook, send an instant message or check the weather on your phone, you’...
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