What You'll Learn from This Article
- You'll understand the API concept and different API types
- You'll learn the differences between REST, SOAP, GraphQL and WebSocket
- You'll discover API security mechanisms
- You'll explore the steps of a successful integration process
API (Application Programming Interface) is an interface that enables different software applications to communicate with each other. Through API integration, automatic data flow between your systems is ensured.
Types of APIs
- REST API: The most widely used web API standard
- SOAP API: Protocol preferred in enterprise systems
- GraphQL: Flexible data querying
- WebSocket: Real-time communication
API Security
For API security, mechanisms like OAuth 2.0, JWT tokens and rate limiting should be used.
Integration Process
For a successful API integration, documentation analysis, test environment setup and error management are critical steps.