API Concepts

What are APIs?

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are sets of definitions and protocols that allow different software applications to communicate with each other. They act as a contract, specifying how requests should be made and what responses can be expected. Our APIs enable you to integrate our powerful features into your own applications, services, and workflows.

We primarily utilize RESTful APIs, which are based on standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) and commonly use JSON for data exchange. This approach ensures scalability, simplicity, and broad compatibility.

Key Concepts

• Resources: In a RESTful architecture, everything is a resource. This could be a user, a document, a service, or any other data object. Resources are identified by unique URLs (Uniform Resource Locators).
• HTTP Methods:
  • GET: Retrieve a representation of a resource.
  • POST: Create a new resource or submit data for processing.
  • PUT: Update an existing resource or create it if it doesn't exist (idempotent).
  • DELETE: Remove a resource.
• Requests and Responses:
  • Request: An API client sends a request to the API server, including the URL, HTTP method, headers (e.g., for authentication, content type), and optionally a request body.
  • Response: The API server processes the request and sends back a response, including a status code (e.g., 200 OK, 404 Not Found, 500 Internal Server Error), headers, and a response body (often in JSON format).
• Authentication and Authorization:

  Securing your data and access is paramount. We support various authentication mechanisms, commonly:

  • API Keys: A unique key that identifies your application.
  • OAuth 2.0: A standard protocol for authorization, allowing users to grant limited access to their data without sharing their credentials.

  Authorization determines what actions a user or application is permitted to perform on specific resources.

• Data Formats:

  The most common data format for our APIs is JSON (JavaScript Object Notation). It's lightweight, human-readable, and easily parsed by most programming languages.

  {
      "key": "value",
      "number": 123,
      "is_active": true,
      "items": ["apple", "banana"]
  }

• Error Handling:

  APIs should provide clear and informative error messages. Our APIs return standard HTTP status codes and often include a JSON response body with details about the error.

  {
      "error": {
          "code": "INVALID_ARGUMENT",
          "message": "The 'user_id' parameter is missing or invalid.",
          "details": "..."
      }
  }

Versioning

To ensure backward compatibility and allow for new features without breaking existing integrations, our APIs are versioned. Versioning is typically handled in the URL path, for example: /api/v1/users or /api/v2/users.

Always refer to the API Reference for the latest version details and supported endpoints.

Best Practices

• Use HTTPS: Always use encrypted connections to protect data in transit.
• Handle Rate Limits: Be mindful of API rate limits to avoid being throttled or blocked. Implement retry mechanisms with exponential backoff.
• Validate Inputs: Sanitize and validate all data sent to the API.
• Idempotency: Design your requests to be idempotent where possible, especially for operations that modify data.
• Keep Up-to-Date: Regularly check for API updates and new versions.