A few days after we had the class I start thinking about the APIs. I did see what they are but I never had a clear view on what really an API is, or who how and why it is created. Since we began thinking about the project. I found out that it is really important to know that there is a developed API that can support our idea. We already had several ideas, but since we could not find an API for it, we had to leave them. That is why we began our project of finding what APIs are there, and what they are used for. But as I sad earlier I wanted to know what an API is, so I went to the following link to find out more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_programming_interface.
As defined on Wikipedia an Application programming interface (API) is an interface in computer science that defines the ways by which an application program may request services from libraries and/or operating system. An API determines the vocabulary and calling the programmer should employ to use the services. It may include specifications for routines, data structures, object classes and protocols used to communicate between the requesting software and the library.
But when used in the context of web development, an API is typically a defined set of Hypertext Transfer Protocol request messages along with a definition of the structure of response messages, usually expressed in an Extensible Markup Language or JavaScript Object Notation format. While "Web API" is virtually a synonym for web service, the recent trend (so-called Web 2.0) has been away from Simple Object Access Protocol based services towards more direct (REST) style communications. Web APIs allow the combination of multiple services into new applications known as mashups.
The interesting thing is that in order to use APIs we must fallow certain policies Companies do not release API information to anybody outside of the company.
Companies protect information on their APIs from the general public. For example, Spny used to make its official Play Station 2API available only to licensed PlayStation developers. This enabled Sony to control who wrote PlayStation 2 games. Such control can have quality control benefits and potential license revenue.
Companies make their APIs freely available. For example, Microsoft makes the Microsoft Windown API public and Apple releases its APIs Carbon and Cocoa so that software can be written for their platform.
Ivaylo, thanks for shedding a little insight to us one what an API. We too had some initial trouble finding API's for or project and had started to look into alternatives or modifications to what we were going to do for the project. We believe we have found some really good API's that support our original ideas and i personally am looking forward to putting them together into our own mashup.
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