Moving up in IT World
As your company is moving up in the world, so does the need for upgrading your IT infrastructure. Of course, it is getting more expensive and complicated to upgrade one’s infrastructure so why not clear out the server rooms? Whether it is windy or not, the business atmosphere is mainly cloudy these days so why not move some of your infrastructure to the place where the sun may shine upon your systems?
Where do you plug in?
Transferring your entire IT system infrastructure to cloud-based solution certainly isn’t an easy task. Additionally, it leaves a valid question: “Where do you plug in?” Less metaphorically speaking, having an easy access not only for you as a manager but also for your applications and services is a must-have. Thankfully, Cloud-Based service providers thought about this, and therefore even before this moving to cloud trend became a real trend, there were API-s.
What is an API?
Do not worry, this will not get any more technical than it needs to. The easiest way to describe an API is by comparing it to an ethernet cable hanging out from your applications. The cable is infinitely long and can basically connect to everything. Now that you’ve got a master’s degree in most of the computer sciences, moving your IT systems to the cloud would not mean that you and your clients/users would lose any ease of access to the services and applications. Furthermore, you would not need to worry about the physical IT system infrastructure and its safety.
Here is a slightly more technical definition:
An API, or application programming interface, is a set of defined rules that enable different applications to communicate with each other. It acts as an intermediary layer that processes data transfers between systems, letting companies open their application data and functionality to external third-party developers, business partners, and internal departments within their companies.
The definitions and protocols within an API help businesses connect the many different applications they use in day-to-day operations, which saves employees time and breaks down silos that hinder collaboration and innovation. For developers, API documentation provides the interface for communication between applications, simplifying application integration.
Now that you’re already rethinking your entire IT system strategy, enough of the questions. Let’s imagine a scenario and have fun in the clouds.
Having fun in the clouds
When your head is already in the clouds, let’s take a look at some API-s which your applications and services could use if you decided to go on with the transition. Some of them are really useful, the other one’s you would develop yourself, and some of them are just weird but paint a good picture of cloud applications and services and their possibilities.
1. REST Countries
Considering creating an application or service that requires global country data? Look no further—this API has you covered. Sustained by donations, this complimentary API offers details on a country’s currency, capital, region, language, and more. Try clicking on this link to get more info about Germany!
2. Open Weather API
You’ve likely encountered this API in action before on your phone. It supplies weather data for over 200,000 cities. Additionally, you can leverage the API to retrieve historical weather data for your application, enabling tasks such as analysis or prediction. The best thing is if your application or service calls this data under 1000 times per day, it’s free.
3. Bored API
Enhance your personal website with the Bored API, ensuring perpetual engagement for users. Upon request, it provides a random activity suggestion, and you can customize parameters such as the type of activity and the number of participants. Keep your users entertained and intrigued! You can actually try this one in your browser on this link.
4. Pokemon API
There is a small chance that your business apps and services will need every detail about every Pokemon that is out there but still… Explore the comprehensive world of Pokemon data with this API, consolidating information in one accessible place. With over 250,000,000 API calls served monthly, it allows you to request details by sending the Pokemon’s name and receive a JSON response (the code that you’re seeing but your applications could make it look nice) containing all relevant information. Plus, the best part—no API key required. Here is all the info your services could retrieve for free about my favourite Pokemon.
5. News API
Maybe your applications and services would benefit from having a list of news about a certain topic from all around the world?
For integrating news data into your project, consider using this API, preferred by over 500,000 developers worldwide. It facilitates the discovery of articles and breaking news headlines from various sources and blogs across the web. Of course, not everything is free (some would say that nothing in life is) so you can get an API key on this link.
Interlude
Interlude: I have already explained how API-s work and of course, just by moving your IT system infrastructure to the cloud does not mean that the data your services and applications are serving should not be monitored and secured. By locking your API-s behind API Keys and monitoring the use of the keys you’re actually getting more security than by selecting who to provide the information from the servers that are racking up the electricity and servicing bills of your company.
And the last but not least (although the weirdest):
6. Chuck Norris API
Access a plethora of hand-curated Chuck Norris facts with this free JSON API. Not only does it offer a collection of amusing anecdotes, but it also features integration with Slack and Facebook Messenger. For instance, you can effortlessly retrieve a random Chuck Norris joke in JSON format. Enjoy the humor and seamless integration! Just to prove how API-s can be awesome, each time you click on this link, there is a new joke there just for you!
It’s all fun and games until…
…you realize you need to manage the access to your API-s
Jokes, Pokemon facts, and weather data aside, since a lot of companies are moving their IT infrastructure to the cloud solutions, there is a rising need for the software which would help them manage all connection points to applications and services. In other words, managing the API-s which your company uses is not an easy task, but it can be. More on that, on this link.