Access to a robust API is increasingly becoming a requirement for any company offering its services on the web. So what is an API and why is it useful? An API, or application programming interface, is a set of instructions for accessing a web-based software application. APIs are created to give developers access to these instructions in order to use that specific application. Developers can then design products around that application without rewriting existing code and functionality. This is important because it eliminates redundant work and provides the framework for developers to use their creativity to build other products powered by that application.
An API can be grouped into two categories. It can either be a language dependent API or a language independent API. When an API is language dependent it means it can only be called using one specific type of programming language. However, when an API is language independent it means the API is not limited to the capabilities of a specific system or language. Language independent APIs help in communicating and interacting with other applications and have greater functionality because they can be called from several different programming languages.
So how do you know when a developer is using an API? If you are a user, the answer is you wouldn't know. An API simply allows applications to work together. It is not something you, as the user, is able to 'see' working. In fact, its purpose is to simply run in the background so that the user has the functionality of an application without seeing any changes in the way things are displayed.
The use of an API is invaluable to most cloud computing services and the customers they serve. Most of the services offered by cloud companies depend on APIs as a means of integrating various programs within their systems. This allows their customers access to more functionality, providing the ability to handle various tasks electronically and directly within the cloud. Cloud services mainly use three types of APIs; data APIs, application functionality APIs, and control APIs.
To illustrate an example, lets say a cloud services company helps its customers with billing. The developers of this cloud services billing company want to allow their clients to get contracts for billing signed online. The first option would be to build an e-signature tool themselves. This is both time-consuming and costly. Instead of building this application themselves, they could integrate with an existing e-signature vendor's API, contracting out the work. This saves time, money, and most likely ensures quality by recruiting a vendor that specializes in that functionality.
In fact, electronic signature vendors are among the most prominent third party applications to be used within cloud services. As businesses continue to migrate their records and daily workflows online, e-signatures are an increasing necessity to streamline this move to go 'paperless.' Electronic signatures also make the processes of verification and authentication a lot easier with the use of biometric recording and even optional picture taking. By integrating with open APIs, a lot of web-based companies have been able to provide even more value to their clients.
This technology is adopted continuously from past many years because of the fact that it offers a great amount of security to the information that is encrypted with this technique. I am not having much idea about cloud services but this article gave me a nice overview about it.
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