API (application programming interface) delivery refers to the process of designing, creating, sharing, and managing programming interfaces that enable the exchange of data between different information systems. API enables programs and applications to communicate and collaborate, which is key to integrating various services and systems in modern IT architectures. API delivery also includes performance monitoring, security, and compliance with business and technology requirements.
API Delivery
pl.
Type of technology
Description of the technology
Basic elements
- API design: Creating interfaces that enable systems and applications to exchange data in an organised and secure manner.
- API documentation: Creating clear documentation for developers so they can understand how API works and use it in their applications.
- API security: Securing interfaces from unauthorised access, including data encryption, authorisation, and access control.
- API management: Monitoring API performance and availability and managing access keys and usage restrictions.
- API integration: API enables the integration of different applications, services, and systems, which is crucial for the development of mobile and web applications and cloud systems.
Industry usage
- E-commerce: API enables sales platforms to be integrated with payment, warehousing and logistics systems, which speeds up order processing.
- Finance: Banking APIs enable data exchange between banks and financial applications, supporting the development of fintech and open banking services.
- Logistics: Logistics companies use API to integrate shipment tracking, fleet management, and order and delivery automation.
- Medicine: API enables the integration of hospital management systems with health applications, supporting patient monitoring and medical data management.
- Social media: APIs of social media platforms enable applications to integrate functions such as logging in, sharing content, and analysing user data.
Importance for the economy
API is the foundation for modern web and mobile applications and cloud systems. It opens up the opportunity for integration and collaboration between different platforms, leading to ecosystems of applications and services. With API, companies can deploy new solutions faster, increase the interoperability of their systems, and improve business flexibility. API is critical to e-commerce, finance, logistics, transport, and digital services, enabling the development of new business models and increasing operational efficiency.
Related technologies
Artificial Intelligence
Integration with API supports AI applications, enabling the use of AI models and algorithms in various third-party applications.
Cloud Computing
API is a core component of cloud integration, enabling applications and services to communicate with cloud resources.
Blockchain
Using API to connect systems to the blockchain enables secure and transparent exchange of data and operations across distributed networks.
Big Data
API can be used to share large amounts of data and retrieve them from various sources, which is crucial for large-scale data analysis.
Internet of Things
API is a key component of communication between IoT devices that need to exchange data in real time.
Mechanism of action
- API acts as an intermediary that enables communication between different systems. The API provider creates an interface that can be used by other applications to send requests and receive responses. This requires clearly defined endpoints that ensure precise requests and data returns. With the API keys, third-party developers have controlled access to certain system resources. Security plays a key role – encryption, authorisation, and monitoring are standard elements of the API’s mechanism.
Advantages
- Scalability: API enables large-scale development of applications and services, enabling companies to integrate new technologies without having to rebuild their entire infrastructure.
- Flexibility: Developers can create applications that easily integrate with existing systems, which enables faster deployment of new features.
- Automation: API enables the automation of business processes, which increases operational efficiency and reduces the risk of errors.
- Cybersecurity: API can be easily secured through authorisation, encryption, and access key management, increasing the level of data protection.
- Ease of integration: With standardised APIs, different applications and systems can communicate with one another without the need for dedicated connections.
Disadvantages
- Cybersecurity: An inadequately secured API can be the target of cyber attacks, which can lead to data leakage or unauthorised access to systems.
- Management complexity: Maintaining and monitoring multiple APIs can be complicated and require advanced access and performance management tools.
- Dependence on providers: Third-party APIs can be dependent on service providers, which can cause operational problems if they fail or cease to operate.
- Compatibility issues: Updates or changes to APIs can lead to compatibility issues in applications using them.
- Maintenance costs: API management, especially on a large scale, can generate costs related to monitoring, security, and IT infrastructure.
Implementation of the technology
Required resources
- Development team: Specialists responsible for the design, implementation, and testing of APIs as well as their documentation and monitoring.
- IT infrastructure: Servers and cloud computing for APIs, traffic management, and real-time query and data processing.
- Monitoring systems: API performance and availability monitoring tools to respond quickly to technical issues and failures.
- Security: Solutions for securing data sent via API, including encryption, user authentication, and monitoring of suspicious activity.
- Documentation: Comprehensive API documentation that enables third-party developers to quickly implement integrations with systems.
Required competences
- Knowledge of API protocols: Ability to design and implement API using popular protocols, such as REST, SOAP, and GraphQL.
- API management: Ability to manage the API lifecycle, including creating, monitoring, securing, and documenting it.
- API security: Knowledge of API security methods, including the use of encryption, authentication, and traffic monitoring and threat detection tools.
- Systems integration: Ability to integrate API with existing IT systems and applications to ensure seamless communication between them.
Environmental aspects
- Energy consumption: The infrastructure needed to support API, including servers and cloud computing, generates energy demand. The high intensity of API use can lead to significant energy consumption, which affects a company’s carbon footprint.
- IT equipment recycling: Regular updates and replacements of hardware necessary to support API, such as servers, require proper management of the hardware lifecycle, including recycling.
- Reducing paper emissions: The automation of processes through API reduces the need for paper documents, which contributes to the reduction of natural resources and waste.
- Process optimisation: API enables optimisation of business processes, leading to better management of resources and reduced waste in business operations.
- IT infrastructure management: Efficient management of servers and infrastructure supporting APIs reduces energy consumption and minimises environmental impact.
Legal conditions
- Legislation governing data protection: API often requires access to user data and thus must comply with data protection regulations (example: EU’s GDPR, which governs the processing of personal data).
- Information security standards: API must comply with information security standards to ensure adequate protection against cyber attacks (example: ISO/IEC 27001, which sets standards for information security management).
- Licences and intellectual property: APIs, especially those provided to third-party developers, may be covered by licences that govern their use (example: open source licences governing the use of certain APIs).
- Compliance with industry regulations: Depending on the sector in which API is used, adaptation to specific industry regulations may be required (example: PSD2 in the banking sector, which requires API compliance with payment services regulations).
- Interoperability regulations: APIs must meet standards for interoperability between systems, especially in the context of public services or highly regulated industries (example: interoperability regulations within the European Union).