by Sim Campbell
What is an API?
As explained in the video above, API stands for Application Programming Interface. An API released by a company allows developers external to the source company to create applications based on the original API source code. In this way, features that are relevant to the application can be shared in a variety of different forms on the Internet. One good way to think about an API would be having the ingredients to a recipe. The master chef disseminates the ingredients to everyone so that they can make their own variations on the original recipe or use the original ingredients as part of their own creations. Developers can create their own versions of the API or use the original API and add code that would be relevant to their institution or business.
How Is API used?
Some notable examples of API use are:
Facebook “Like” or “Recommend” buttons on news stories from outlets such as The New York Times
Flickr connecting to Facebook so that photos from a person’s Flickr account can be displayed on their news feed
Yelp! using Google Maps/Places API to display directions to and from a place.
The aforementioned will be important in just a bit. API allows developers to place their content on external sites. API is important for the easy accessibility of news on the Internet. API encourages an open source community atmosphere where anyone can easily share content.
Google Maps and Google Places
There are many companies in the web that rely on Google’s Maps and Places applications. Some of the reasons is Google’s brand recognition and tight and fast code. Some of Google’s API users include restaurants and hobbyist sites. All of these people have made their select API that interacts with Google’s original code.
Google being the programming behemoth that it is, allows all of its applications (Plus, Places, Maps, News, etc.) to be connected to external websites. Many companies ended up using Google’s Maps API because it was very inexpensive (until recently). This has allowed Google’s already massive reach to extend even further.
Many companies over the years have seen Google’s great success with Maps and have decided to follow suit. Some of these include Bing, Open Street Maps, and Map Box. An increasing number of websites are starting to use Bing Maps to display locations on their site rather than Google Maps. The reason? Price. Google has decided to start charging companies to use their API for Maps. Could this be the death knell for Google Maps’ API? Only time will tell. One thing is for certain though, Google has created an industry standard open source API that many companies try to emulate and few succeed.
Sources
Some companies abandon Google Maps over fees – http://e.mydigitalfc.com/PUBLICATIONS/DCF/DCF/2012/03/21/ArticleHtmls/Some-companies-abandon-Google-Maps-over-fees-21032012162035.shtml
Who Said Google Maps Was the Standard? – http://spatiallyadjusted.com/2012/03/09/who-said-google-maps-was-the-standard/
The Google Maps API’s and their Uses – http://www.rankforsales.com/google-api-s-and-their-uses.html
Google Maps API for Developers – https://developers.google.com/maps/
“How Stuff Works”, What is an API? – http://money.howstuffworks.com/business-communications/how-to-leverage-an-api-for-conferencing1.htm
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