APIs, What are they, and why do we care.

We're currently building an API at Create, I held a short presentation to help the company understand what is an API and why we're building one.

The views in the slides are of my own and not of my employer.

Create is in no way affiliated with KashFlow or Living Social, or Create has no current plans on integrating with them. The use of them was purely for example.

Transcript

1. APIs What are they, and why do we care.
2. Hi, I’m Adam DevOps @ Create.
3. Hi, I’m Adam DevOps @ Create. DevOps is the blending of tasks performed by an application developer and systems operator
4. So, what is an API?
5. A P I Programming Application Interface
6. An API allows you to give or receive data from a third-party service.
7. An example...
9. Don’t mind if I do!
12. Clicky Click.
13. “Oh, hai Facebook, LivingSocial here, can I have some data please.” - Living Social
14. “Sure, here you go!” “Oh, hai Facebook, LivingSocial here, can I have some data please.” - Living Social - Facebook
15. { "id": "100002715102141", "name": "Adam Strawson", "first_name": "Adam", "last_name": "Strawson", "link": "http://www.facebook.com/adamstrawson2", "username": "adamstrawson2", "hometown": { "id": "110339788987693", "name": "Hastings, East Sussex" }, "location": { "id": "112710045409378", "name": "Brighton" }, "work": [], "education": [], "gender": "male", "timezone": 1, "locale": "en_US", "languages": [ { "id": "105699189463486", "name": "British English" } ], "verified": true, "updated_time": "2012-06-23T11:55:39+0000", "type": "user" }
17. Pretty cool, huh!
18. So why would we want an API?
19. Better & faster code
20. Build quicker Better & faster code
21. Build quicker Wider range of skills Better & faster code
22. Build quicker Wider range of skills Scalability Better & faster code
23. Build quicker Mobile apps Wider range of skills Scalability Better & faster code
24. Build quicker Mobile apps Wider range of skills Scalability Developer friendly Better & faster code
25. Build quicker Mobile apps Third-party integration Wider range of skills Scalability Developer friendly Better & faster code
26. Build quicker Mobile apps Third-party integration Wider range of skills Scalability Developer friendly Better & faster code It’s awesome!
27. Build quicker Mobile apps Third-party integration Wider range of skills Scalability Developer friendly Better & faster code It’s awesome!
28. “If only there was a way to manage my Create. Shop accounting...” - Our customer
29. “If only there was a way to manage my Create. Shop accounting...” - Our customer “Oh, but there is!” - Create.
31. “Hi Create, you’re awesome, lets integrate!” - KashFlow
32. “Hi Create, you’re awesome, lets integrate!” - KashFlow Apparently this actually happened...
33. Our customer signs up to KashFlow.
34. “Oh, hai Create, KashFlow here, can I have some data please.” - KashFlow
35. “Sure, here you go!” “Oh, hai Create, KashFlow here, can I have some data please.” - KashFlow - Create.
36. { " "ID": "562456", " "order_reference": "1604842", " "customer_id": "253442", " "customer_email": "david@myfirstorder.co.uk", " "customer_firstname": "David", " "customer_lastname": "Gardiner", " "customer_company": "", " "customer_address1": "7 Smith Gate", " "customer_address2": "", " "customer_address3": "", " "customer_city": "Brighton", " "customer_county": "Sussex", " "customer_postcode": "BN1 7EG", " "customer_country": "223", " "customer_phone": "01234765775", " "date_purchased": "2011-11-12 13:45:34", " "order_total": "99", " "order_currency": "GBP", " "shipping_method": "1st Class Recorded Royal Mail", " "shipping_total": "0", " "status": "3", " "gateway": "paypal", " "notes": "", " "discount_amount": "0.00", " "discount_text": "", " "referrer": "myshoponline.co.uk" }
37. Happy KashFlow
38. Happy Create. Happy KashFlow
39. Happy Create. Happy KashFlow Happy Customer
40. Thanks! <3
41. Questions?