Application programming interfaces, or APIs, simplify software development and innovation by enabling applications to exchange data and functionality easily and securely. An application programming interface, or API, enables companies to open up their applications’ data and functionality to external third-party developers, business partners, and internal departments within their companies. This allows services and products to communicate with each other and leverage each other’s data and functionality through a documented interface. Developers don’t need to know how an API is implemented; they simply use the interface to communicate with other products and services. API use has surged over the past decade, to the degree that many of the most popular web applications today would not be possible without APIs.
Here’s how an API works:
- Request: A client application initiates an API call to retrieve information—also known as a request. This request is processed from an application to the web server via the API’s Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) and includes a request verb, headers, and sometimes, a request body.
- Request Validation And Transfer: After receiving a valid request, the API makes a call to the external program or web server.
- Response: The server sends a response to the API with the requested information.
- Output: The API transfers the data to the initial requesting application.
API’s in Nafhaa
Nafhaa API’s are divided into 2 parts.
- PULL API’s: These API’s are used to Pull data from Nafhaa Application
- PUSH API’s: These API’s are used to Push data to Nafhaa Application.