WTF Are APIs?!

WTF Are APIs?! Seriously, wtf are they? @rdegges @gostormpath

Hey, I’m Randall Developer Evangelist, Stormpath Open Source Dude <333
t3h c0d3z

Wanna talk about APIs? APIs are the best! I want
an API!

What the hell are they?!

APIs are websites made for computers

Websites for humans are horrible.

<html> <head> <meta charset="utf-8"> <title>Hi!</title> </head> <body> <h1>Hello, world!</h1> </body>
</html> HTML!!!!

body { padding: 2em; } h1 { font-size: 3em; color:
#000; } CSS!!!!

$(document).ready(function() { $("<p>Hello, world!").insertAfter("h1"); }); Javascript :(

JUST DATA

$ curl https://api.ipify.org 73.15.98.183 $ curl http://swapi.co/api/people/1/

{ "username": "rdegges", "firstName": "Randall", "lastName": "Degges", "email": "[email protected]" }
JSON

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <user> <username>rdegges</username> <firstName>Randall</firstName> <lastName>Degges</lastName> <email>[email protected]</email> </user> XML

How do computers talk to an API?

HTTP Request Headers Body Metadata Data

HTTP Response Headers Body They look the same!

GET POST PUT PATCH DELETE

GET https://api.mywebsite.com/messages { "messages": [ { "id": 1, "text": "Hey
Randall! Cool slide art!" }, { "id": 2, "text": "Great talk, too!" } ] }

POST https://api.mywebsite.com/messages { "text": "I’m storing a new message!" }
{ "id": 3, "text": "I’m storing a new message!" }

PUT https://api.mywebsite.com/messages/1 { "id": 1, "text": "Hey Randall! BAD slide
art!" } { "id": 1, "text": "Hey Randall! BAD slide art!" }

PATCH https://api.mywebsite.com/messages/1 { "text": "Hey Randall! Booorrring." } { "id":
1, "text": "Hey Randall! Booorrring." }

DELETE https://api.mywebsite.com/messages/1 { "id": 1, "text": "Hey Randall! Booorrring." }

APIs are pretty cool, after all!

https://www.publicapis.com/

POST https://api.twilio.com/2010-04-01/Accounts/<id>/Calls.json { "From": "+14158675309", "To": "+18182179229", "Url": "https://mywebsite.com/call.xml" }

POST https://api.twilio.com/2010-04-01/Accounts/<id>/Messages.json { "From": "+14158675309", "To": "+18182179229", "Body": "Hey Randall!!"
}

You mean I can use an API to ship stuff?!
Cool!

My website is now very secure! Hahaha.

APIs Are Magical!

You’re awesome. @rdegges @gostormpath

WTF Are APIs?!

WTF Are APIs?!

Randall Degges

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WTF Are APIs?! Seriously, wtf are they? @rdegges @gostormpath

Hey, I’m Randall Developer Evangelist, Stormpath Open Source Dude <333

Wanna talk about APIs? APIs are the best! I want

What the hell are they?!

APIs are websites made for computers

Websites for humans are horrible.

<html> <head> <meta charset="utf-8"> <title>Hi!</title> </head> <body> <h1>Hello, world!</h1> </body>

body { padding: 2em; } h1 { font-size: 3em; color:

$(document).ready(function() { $("<p>Hello, world!").insertAfter("h1"); }); Javascript :(

JUST DATA

$ curl https://api.ipify.org 73.15.98.183 $ curl http://swapi.co/api/people/1/

{ "username": "rdegges", "firstName": "Randall", "lastName": "Degges", "email": "[email protected]" }

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <user> <username>rdegges</username> <firstName>Randall</firstName> <lastName>Degges</lastName> <email>[email protected]</email> </user> XML

How do computers talk to an API?

HTTP Request Headers Body Metadata Data

HTTP Response Headers Body They look the same!

GET POST PUT PATCH DELETE

GET https://api.mywebsite.com/messages { "messages": [ { "id": 1, "text": "Hey

POST https://api.mywebsite.com/messages { "text": "I’m storing a new message!" }

PUT https://api.mywebsite.com/messages/1 { "id": 1, "text": "Hey Randall! BAD slide

PATCH https://api.mywebsite.com/messages/1 { "text": "Hey Randall! Booorrring." } { "id":

DELETE https://api.mywebsite.com/messages/1 { "id": 1, "text": "Hey Randall! Booorrring." }

APIs are pretty cool, after all!

https://www.publicapis.com/

POST https://api.twilio.com/2010-04-01/Accounts/<id>/Calls.json { "From": "+14158675309", "To": "+18182179229", "Url": "https://mywebsite.com/call.xml" }

POST https://api.twilio.com/2010-04-01/Accounts/<id>/Messages.json { "From": "+14158675309", "To": "+18182179229", "Body": "Hey Randall!!"

You mean I can use an API to ship stuff?!

My website is now very secure! Hahaha.

APIs Are Magical!

You’re awesome. @rdegges @gostormpath