Getting Started with APIs

An API (Application Programming Interface) enables one app to communicate with another. An API exists to receive requests, process data, and return responses.

When your app calls an API, it must indicate the type of action it’s requesting, specify the operation it’s calling, and provide the data that the API requires to process the request.

When an API finishes processing a request, it’ll return a response to indicate the outcome of the operation and provide the data to your app.

API requests and responses commonly contain data that’s formatted as JSON. A solid understanding of JSON is a fundamental building block of using APIs.

Learn basic concepts of API security and authentication and explore authentication patterns that you’ll likely encounter when using REST APIs.

Building a quality API integration starts with knowing how to effectively use Developer Resources like dev accounts, SDKs, and documentation.