History of API
Like everything, API has a unique origin story — and there have been a lot of changes and improvements since its first use. Software is always changing and it’s very difficult to keep track of what’s happening with everything, but when you pay close attention to the changes that are occurring in the world of technology, you can see that most of those changes are dependent on or someway connected with APIs and how they function.
What Is It?
An API is also known as an Application Programming Interface. It’s a software that’s built to act as a bridge between different applications that run on the web. An API shares and pulls data like order book from cryptocurrency exchanges, connecting different functions. For instance, an API might allow you to connect a signup form on your website with the server that runs your newsletter software.
To setup such an API, you would need to find the proper programming instructions from your mail server and connect it with the form on your website. When someone enters their email address, the integration will pass this info along to where it needs to be — your email list on another server. The API you integrate will use data calls to determine what information to gather, where to send it, and what to do with it after the fact.
The History of API
Figuring out exactly what concept API originally emerged from, like most things, is left up to some interpretation. Some programmers trace the earliest APIs back to before the age of technology, using examples of stock market machines that ticked out data around the world and others citing catalog shopping.
Since the internet broke out, companies like Google Maps, Facebook, and Amazon have been some of the top pioneers in APIs. In fact, Google Maps was the first to use the word “API mashups” which led to the APIs we depend on today. They combined multiple APIs to show a map that displayed all the bands playing tonight, or showed you the route you ran this morning, or display a map that highlights all the best hiking trails in your area. All of these depends on using multiple APIs that pull data from different sources to display one homogenous piece of information to you.
Conclusion
No matter where or who you originally trace APIs back to, there’s no doubt you can find an example today of a company who is using APIs to drive their business and drive forward innovation. The idea of an API to gather information from various sources is now an integral part of our everyday lives, whether you realize it or not.
