API: What It Is and How It Works

Creating an application is a difficult and time-consuming task. But what if developers had access to those fundamental parts and didn’t have to start from the beginning? The API’s role in facilitating application development is this.

APIs are acronyms for Application Programming Interfaces

API stands for Application Programming Interface, and it is an interface that connects one application to another, either on the same platform or across platforms.

This innovation enables developers to create applications that are based on current ones. APIs, in other words, assist developers in developing apps faster and more efficiently.

Types of APIs

APIs are classified into four categories based on their access rights:

1. Access to a private API
   The term “private API” refers to a programming interface that is not available to the general public. This kind was designed to fulfill the needs of internal application development in general. This type serves as a front-end interface for accessing data and application functions on the back end.
2. API that is open to the public
   A public API, often known as an open API, is a programming interface that is available to the whole public. To construct their own apps more quickly, developers can use public APIs to gain access to the programming system behind an application or web service.
3. API collaborators
   Partner API stands for application programming interface, and it is a form of interface that can be used by select parties that have been designated as business partners by the application or web service’s owner. This kind is not open to the public and requires specific credentials to view.

The API’s Functions

The fundamental purpose of the Application Programming Interface is to act as a link between client-side (client-side) and server-side (server-side) programs (server-side).

1. API for Application Access
   When you use an application to obtain information, the program will use relevant service data. When you order a movie ticket through an app like Tiket or Traveloka, for example, the app will obtain data from the associated theater server.
2. Make a request to the server using the API
   The request will be forwarded to the server after the program successfully reaches the API. As a result, booking apps like Tiket and Traveloka get data from the cinema servers rather than their own.
3. The Server Handles Requests
   The server will look for the desired data after receiving and translating the request. Once the data is located, the server will return information to the API, such as showtimes, seat availability, ticket prices, and so on, for the application to use.
4. Forwarding API Responses to Applications
   After the API has received the data, the information must be passed on to the user application. Well, ticketing apps like Traveloka and Tiket have partnered with a variety of theatres, so you can access information from multiple venues in one app.