Calling an API

APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are a set of rules, protocols, and tools that define how software applications interact with each other. They allow for the exchange of data between different systems, enabling developers to create more complex and dynamic web applications.

Understanding API

Before we dive into the technical details, it's important to understand what APIs are and how they work. APIs act as intermediaries between different software systems. They allow one application (e.g. Transfer Thought) to request data or functionality from another application, and then receive a response that can be used to perform certain tasks or display information to the user.

Choose an API

The next step is to choose an API to work with. There are many different APIs available for various purposes, such as weather data, social media platforms, and more. It's important to choose an API that meets your needs and has clear documentation that explains how to interact with it.

The below is a list of APIs categories to get you start thinking about the potentials of calling an API to serve your training!

• Web APIs: These are APIs that allow access to web-based services and resources, such as web pages, images, videos, and other types of content.
• Operating System APIs: These are APIs that provide access to the functionality of an operating system, such as file management, process management, and network communication.
• Database APIs: These are APIs that allow access to databases and database management systems, such as SQL and NoSQL databases.
• Hardware APIs: These are APIs that provide access to hardware components, such as cameras, microphones, and sensors.
• Cloud APIs: These are APIs that allow access to cloud-based services and resources, such as cloud storage, compute resources, and machine learning services.
• Payment APIs: These are APIs that allow businesses to accept payments online, such as credit card processing and online payment gateways.
• Social APIs: These are APIs that allow developers to access and interact with social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
• Messaging APIs: These are APIs that allow developers to build messaging applications and services, such as chatbots and communication platforms.
• Search APIs: These are APIs that allow developers to search for and retrieve information from search engines, such as Google and Bing.
• Geo-location APIs: These are APIs that allow developers to access location-based services, such as mapping and navigation tools.

Making an API request

Once you've chosen an API, the next step is to make requests to it using JavaScript. This is typically done using the XMLHttpRequest (XHR) object, which is built into most modern web browsers. To make a request, you'll need to create a new instance of the XHR object, set the request method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc.), and specify the URL of the API endpoint you want to call.

const xhr = new XMLHttpRequest();
xhr.open('GET', 'https://api.example.com/data');
xhr.onreadystatechange = function() {
  if (xhr.readyState === 4 && xhr.status === 200) {
    const response = JSON.parse(xhr.responseText);
    console.log(response);
  }
};
xhr.send();