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API 101 - Understanding APIs.
The document is a transcript from an API 101 workshop. It provides an introduction to APIs and discusses what they are, their history, examples of how APIs work, and best practices for designing, marketing, and supporting APIs. The workshop consisted of presentations and discussions from multiple speakers on topics including the business benefits of APIs, REST architecture, and strategies for API and developer success.
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API 101 - Understanding APIs.
- 1. API 101 What areapis, and how can I use them to take over the world?
- 2. talk overview • Introsand Getting Started • Dive into APIs • Business Cases • REST Deconstructed • API and Developer Success http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 3. Intros and gettingstarted • Who are we? • Who are you? • Quick API definition • API Example • Workshop Participation http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 4. tros and GettingStarted -> Who is kirsten? API Ninja (developer evangelist) Princess Polymath
- 5. tros and GettingStarted -> Who is Keith? DEVELOPER EVANGELIST TROUBLEMAKER
- 6. tros and GettingStarted -> who are you? Developers Designers Marketing Management http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 7. tros and GettingStarted -> elevator pitch What is an API? A predictable way to communicate with a computer system http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 8. tros and GettingStarted -> 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! http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 9. tros and GettingStarted -> asking questions Wave your hands around! Tweet with #api101 and #apistrat ... or @synedra and @caseysoftware Comment on the API 101 Cheatsheet on http://www.princesspolymath.com http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 10. tros and GettingStarted -> quick api example http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 11. tros and GettingStarted -> twitter -> wordpress
- 12. tros and GettingStarted -> how does that work? Wordpress Plugin Twitter API Uses Authentication Wordpress Searches API for #api101 Formats response Fills in sidebar http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 13. dive into apis •Quick history of APIs • What do current APIs make possible? http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 14. Dive into APIs-> Very Brief History • Computer -> Computer • Databases • Backups • Client -> Server • Email • Content Management Systems • Web Client -> API Server http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 15. Dive into APIs-> what can apis do? http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 16. quick break! • Don’tforget to tweet or comment your questions or comments! • Let’s check what’s there now... network willing • Audience questions? • Aaaaannnnndddd.... over to Keith! http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 17. So you wantto build an API? D Keith Casey Jr Developer Evangelist, Austin
- 18. TALK OVERVIEW • Introsand Getting Started • Dive into APIs • Business Cases • REST Deconstructed • API and Developer Success @CaseySoftware Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 19. Business Cases @CaseySoftware Tweet thoughtsto:#apistrat #api101
- 20. API FIRST! @CaseySoftware Tweet thoughtsto:#apistrat #api101
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- 22. Platform as astrategy @CaseySoftware Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 23. Something to stand on Insteadof building everything yourself.. Blackberry/RIM Build a platform that others can build on to create value.. Apple @CaseySoftware Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 24. 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 Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 25. hope as marketing @CaseySoftware Tweetthoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 26. marketing as marketing Toolbox Easy touse & 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 Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
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- 30. DRIVE USAGE: TWITTER/FACEBO OK @CaseySoftware Tweet thoughtsto:#apistrat #api101
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- 32. email: Sendgrid Abstraction Abstraction @CaseySoftware Tweet thoughtsto:#apistrat #api101
- 33. storage: Dropbox metered usage meteredusage @CaseySoftware Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 34. inboxes: Context.io simplification simplification @CaseySoftware Tweet thoughtsto:#apistrat #api101
- 35. telephony: Twilio All ofthe above (abstraction, metered usage, simplification) (abstraction, metered usage, simplification) (abstraction, metered usage, simplification) @CaseySoftware Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
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- 37. Schema “An outline ormodel; organized pattern of thought or behavior” Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schema_(psychology) WRT Hypermedia: http://json-schema.org @CaseySoftware Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 38. Affordances “An affordance isa 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 Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 39. Choose your own Adventure @CaseySoftware Tweetthoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 40. Versioning • Two schoolsof 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 Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 41. Authentication & Access Control AccessControl @CaseySoftware Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 42. TALK OVERVIEW • Introsand Getting Started • Dive into APIs • Business Cases • REST Deconstructed • API and Developer Success @CaseySoftware Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 43. talk overview • Introsand Getting Started • Dive into APIs • Business Cases • REST Deconstructed • API and Developer Success http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 44. REst deconstructed • HTTP •Structure • Verbs • REST • Structure • Verbs • Response Formats • JSON • XML http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 45. EST Deconstructed -> conversations • Uniquenames 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? http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 46. EST Deconstructed -> HTTP • HyperTextTransfer Protocol • Main internet protocol • Browser->web server • Technically - chatty, inefficient... simple http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 47. EST Deconstructed ->HTTP http messages • Simple resource address - URL (name) • Request -> Response • Context in headers • Substitutions: added to name http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 48. EST Deconstructed ->HTTP HTTP verbs • GET • POST • PUT • DELETE • ... and a few others http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 49. EST Deconstructed ->HTTP REST Structure • URL -> Name • Context in headers • Substitutions and changes http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 50. EST Deconstructed ->HTTP REST actions • GET - Read back order • POST - Place order • PUT - Change order • DELETE - Cancel order • ... and a few others http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 51. 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 http://www.princesspolymath.com XML <stuff> <my_thing>Awesome sauce</my_thing> </stuff> • More verbose • Less human readable • Good integration with .NET • Supports better metainformation with attributes Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 52. TALK OVERVIEW • Introsand Getting Started • Dive into APIs • Business Cases • REST Deconstructed • API and Developer Success http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 53. API AND DEVELOPERSUCCESS • API Design • Marketing your API • Supporting your Developers http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 54. PI and DeveloperSuccess -> 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) http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 55. PI and DeveloperSuccess -> 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) http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 56. PI and DeveloperSuccess -> 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 http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 57. Questions? • Final checkfor questions on twitter/comments • Audience questions? http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
- 58. WIFI? • PARC55-MEETING • Passwordis on ApistratSF2013 http://www.princesspolymath.com Tweet thoughts to:#apistrat #api101
Editor's Notes
- #19 There are three things you should probably know about me.. first, I work for a company called Twilio where our mission is to change the way businesses communicate. [twilio spiel] Grab me after if you’d like to learn more.
- #31 perceived value
- #43 There are three things you should probably know about me.. first, I work for a company called Twilio where our mission is to change the way businesses communicate. [twilio spiel] Grab me after if you’d like to learn more.