Open API: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 22:22, 22 March 2022

Revision as of 03:24, 24 August 2022

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{{About|type of application programming interface|the web service specification|OpenAPI Specification}}

An '''open API''' (often referred to as a public API) is a publicly available [[application programming interface]] that provides developers with programmatic access to a proprietary software application or web service.<ref>{{Cite web|title = What is open API? - Definition from WhatIs.com|url = http://searchcloudapplications.techtarget.com/definition/open-API|website = SearchCloudApplications|access-date = 2015-10-26}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url = http://readwrite.com/2013/09/19/api-defined|title = What APIs Are And Why They're Important|date = September 19, 2013|access-date = 28 October 2015|website = Readwrite|last = Proffitt|first = Brian}}</ref> APIs are sets of requirements that govern how one application can communicate and interact with another. APIs can also allow developers to access certain internal functions of a program, although this is not typically the case for [[web API|web APIs]]s. In the simplest terms, an API allows one piece of software to interact with another piece of software, whether within a single computer via a mechanism provided by the [[operating system]] or over an internal or external [[TCP/IP]]-based or non-TCP/IP-based network.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title = API Strategy 201: Private APIs vs. Open APIs {{!}} API Design and Strategy|url = http://www.apiacademy.co/resources/api-strategy-lesson-201-private-apis-vs-open-apis/|website = www.apiacademy.co|access-date = 2015-11-02|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151125194504/http://www.apiacademy.co/resources/api-strategy-lesson-201-private-apis-vs-open-apis/|archive-date = 2015-11-25|url-status = dead}}</ref> Currently, many APIs are provided by organizations for access with [[HTTP]]. APIs may be used by both developers inside the organisation that published the API or by any developers outside that organisation who wish to register for access to the interface.

== Characteristics ==

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=== Open API ===

In contrast to a private API, an open API is publicly available for all developers to access. They allow developers, outside of an organization's workforce, to access backend data that can then be used to enhance their own applications. Open APIs can significantly increase revenue without the business having to invest in hiring new developers making them a very profitable software application.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Beat the risks of managing public, private APIs|url = http://searchsoa.techtarget.com/feature/Beat-the-risks-of-managing-public-private-APIs|website = SearchSOA|access-date = 2015-11-04}}</ref> However, it is important to remember that opening back end information to the public can create a range of security and management challenges.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = iRiS: Vetting Private API Abuse in iOS Applications|publisher = ACM|journal = Proceedings of the 22Nd22nd ACM SIGSAC Conference on Computer and Communications Security|date = 2015-01-01|___location = New York, NY, USA|isbn = 978-1-4503-3832-5|pages = 44–56|series = CCS '15|doi = 10.1145/2810103.2813675|first = Zhui|last = Deng|first2 = Brendan|last2 = Saltaformaggio|first3 = Xiangyu|last3 = Zhang|first4 = Dongyan|last4 = Xu}}</ref> For example, publishing open APIs can make it harder for organisations to control the experience end users have with their information assets. Open API publishers cannot assume client apps built on their APIs will offer a good user experience. Furthermore, they cannot fully ensure that client apps maintain the look and feel of their corporate branding.

== Open APIs in business ==