What is Web API?

Let's explore information about Web API through this article now!

What is Web API?

Web API also known through a more complete name, is “Web-based API system”.

This is one of the Web programming tools currently being widely used in the field of information technology, providing a lot of preeminent features for users.

In fact, most major Websites provide an API system, allowing users to connect to get data and update into their own applications.

And this system is called Web API.

Simply put, Web API is a method used in the purpose of allowing Web applications to communicate with each other and convert data back and forth.

Whenever information is retrieved, Web API returns data in JSON or XML form via HTTP/HTTPS protocol.

How does Web API work?

Here are four steps that better describe how Web API works:

1. Build API URLs that allow third parties to request data to content and service delivery servers via HTTP/HTTPS protocol.
2. On the providing server side, after receiving the request information, the source applications will perform validation checks if necessary and finally find the appropriate resource to generate the content that returns the results.
3. At this point, the providing server side will send back the information in JSON or XML format via HTTP/HTTPS protocol.
4. Original requester will parse incoming the JSON or XML data and perform the necessary operations such as saving it to the base, as well as displaying that information to the outside for the user to read.

What are pros and cons of Web API?

Pros

Web API has many preeminent features as follows:

• Supports all RESTful functions, as well as GET - POST - PUT - DELETE data methods.
• Help users build HTTP services simply and quickly.
• Support fully for HTTP components (URI, request/response headers, caching, versioning, content formats and even in-app host).
• Highly automated. Helping users update and manage their work more efficiently.
• There is dynamic integration, allowing content from any application to be easily retrieved, increasing level of excellence in user experience.
• Help companies share selected information and avoid unsolicited requests.
• Update new information in real time, helping data transmission be done accurately.
• Allows users to customize according to their needs.
• Supports MVC components (routing, controller, action result, filter, model binder, IoC container, dependency injection, unit test).
• Two-way communication is confirmed upon request, ensuring higher reliability.

Cons

Besides the advantages mentioned above, Web API also has some limitations such as:

• Not quite a RESTful service yet.
• If users want to use it well and achieve the highest efficiency, they must have experience and deep expertise in the backend.
• It costs a lot of money and time to build, upgrade,operate.
• Security problems are likely to occur when the system is attacked if the functions and conditions are not limited carefully.