API 101 - Understanding APIs

API 101
What are apis,
and how can I use them to take over the world?

talk overview
• Intros and Getting Started
• Dive into APIs
• Business Cases
• REST Deconstructed
• API and Developer Success
http://www.princesspolymath.com

Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101

Intros and getting started
• Who are we?
• Who are you?
• Quick API definition
• API Example
• Workshop Participation


tros and Getting Started ->

Who is kirsten?
API Ninja (developer evangelist)
Princess Polymath


Who is Keith?
DEVELOPER EVANGELIST
TROUBLEMAKER


who are you?
Developers
Designers
Marketing
Management



elevator pitch

What is an API?
A predictable way to
communicate with a computer
system




it’s a workshop!
We’re here to learn
This is a safe space
There are no stupid questions
Someone else wants to ask too
I’ll give you a treat!



asking questions
Wave your hands around!
Tweet with #api101 and #apistrat
... or @synedra and @caseysoftware
Comment on the API 101 Cheatsheet on




quick api example




twitter -> wordpress


how does that work?
Wordpress Plugin
Twitter API

Uses Authentication

Wordpress

Searches API for #api101
Formats response
Fills in sidebar


dive into apis
• Quick history of APIs
• What do current APIs make possible?



Dive into APIs ->

Very Brief History

• Computer -> Computer
• Databases
• Backups
• Client -> Server
• Email
• Content Management Systems
• Web Client -> API Server


Dive into APIs ->

what can apis do?



quick break!
• Don’t forget to tweet or comment your questions or
comments!
• Let’s check what’s there now... network willing
• Audience questions?
• Aaaaannnnndddd.... over to Keith!



So you want to build an
API?
D Keith Casey Jr
Developer Evangelist, Austin

TALK OVERVIEW
• Dive into APIs
• Business Cases

@CaseySoftware


Business Cases

@CaseySoftware


API FIRST!

@CaseySoftware


@CaseySoftware


Platform as a strategy

@CaseySoftware


Something to stand
on
Instead of building everything yourself.. Blackberry/RIM

Build a platform that others can build on to create value.. Apple

@CaseySoftware


stuff vs optimization
Stuff: How can we build more stuff?
Examples: manufacturing, NYT/blogging networks
Optimization: How can we better distribute the stuff?
Examples: Walmart, search engines/RSS readers
Platform: How can we redefine ‘stuff’ & find new ways to solve the problem?
Examples: Ebay/Amazon Prime, Twitter
Source: http://platformed.info/platform-thinking/

@CaseySoftware


hope as marketing

@CaseySoftware


marketing as
marketing
Toolbox
Easy to use & plug into the system
Magnet
Pulls customers (both producers & consumers) into the system
Matchmaker
Accelerate & facilitate connections between producers & consumers
Source: http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/01/three-elements-of-a-successful-platform/

@CaseySoftware


business
reasons
reasons
@CaseySoftware


MARKET
PENETRATION:
NETFLIX
@CaseySoftware


DEFENSIVE
STRATEGY:
PAYPAL
@CaseySoftware


DRIVE USAGE:
TWITTER/FACEBO
OK
@CaseySoftware


technical
Reasons
Reasons
@CaseySoftware


email: Sendgrid
Abstraction
Abstraction
@CaseySoftware


storage: Dropbox
metered usage
metered usage
@CaseySoftware


inboxes: Context.io
simplification
simplification
@CaseySoftware


telephony: Twilio
All of the above
(abstraction, metered usage, simplification)

@CaseySoftware


Architectural
considerations
@CaseySoftware


Schema
“An outline or model; organized pattern of thought or behavior”

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schema_(psychology)
WRT Hypermedia: http://json-schema.org

@CaseySoftware


Affordances
“An affordance is a quality of an object, or an environment, which
allows a user to perform an action.”

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affordance
WRT Hypermedia: http://amundsen.com/blog/archives/1109

@CaseySoftware


Choose your own
Adventure

@CaseySoftware


Versioning
• Two schools of thought:
• Part of the name
• Keith

vs

Keith Jr

• /v1/name-of-item

vs

/v2/name-of-item

• Part of the conversation (content negotiation)
• Lunch
@CaseySoftware

vs

dinner menu

Authentication &
Access Control
Access Control
@CaseySoftware


REst deconstructed
• HTTP
• Structure
• Verbs
• REST
• Structure
• Verbs
• Response Formats
• JSON
• XML


EST Deconstructed ->

conversations

•

Unique names for things
Iced Tea

•

Create, Read, Update and Delete (CRUD)
Order, Get order back, Change order, Cancel order

•

Substitutions and changes
Unsweetened, Extra Ice

•

Context For here or to go?



EST Deconstructed ->

HTTP
•

HyperText Transfer Protocol

•

Main internet protocol

•

Browser->web server

•

Technically - chatty, inefficient... simple



EST Deconstructed -> HTTP

http messages
•

Simple resource address - URL (name)

•

Request -> Response

•

Context in headers

•

Substitutions: added to name




HTTP verbs
•

GET

•

POST

•

PUT

•

DELETE

•

... and a few others




REST Structure
•

URL -> Name

•

Context in headers

•

Substitutions and changes




REST actions
•

GET - Read back order

•

POST - Place order

•

PUT - Change order

•

DELETE - Cancel order

•

... and a few others



EST Deconstructed -> Formats

response formats
JSON
{
“My thing” : “Awesome sauce”
}

• Smaller / More efficient
• More human readable
• Simpler to use in many
programming languages
• More natural for web
developers

XML
<stuff>
<my_thing>Awesome sauce</my_thing>
</stuff>

• More verbose
• Less human readable
• Good integration with .NET
• Supports better metainformation with attributes


TALK OVERVIEW
• Dive into APIs
• Business Cases


API AND DEVELOPER SUCCESS
• API Design
• Marketing your API
• Supporting your Developers



PI and Developer Success ->

API DESIGN

• User Experience - What do you want people to do with your
API?
• System constraints - How do you want them to do it?
• Creation, Design and Documentation of APIs
Thursday, 11:20 (Apiary.io, Swagger, APISpark, Reverb!)
• Hypermedia APIs
Thursday, 1:50 (Elastic Path, NPR, Comcast, Layer7)



MARKETING YOUR API

• Clearly communicate API goals and usage
• Lower barrier to entry for developers
• API Marketing and Evangelism
Friday, 11:45 (SendGrid, Challengepost, WSO2,
Hackerleague)
• API Discovery
Thursday, 11:20 (Mashape, Mulesoft, Klout, Parasoft)



DEVELOPER SUPPORT

• Clear, consistent communication
• Fantastic documentation, tutorials, libraries
• Forums, participation
• Provide excellent exploration and development tools
• In short, respect your developers’ time and reduce confusion



Questions?
• Final check for questions on twitter/comments
• Audience questions?



WIFI?
• PARC55-MEETING
• Password is on ApistratSF2013



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