Preliminary Software Engineering
Unit 1 - Programming Fundamentals
Preliminary Software Engineering CourseUnit 1 - Programming Fundamentals
Unit 1 - Programming Fundamentals
Preliminary Software Engineering CourseUnit 1 - Programming Fundamentals
  • 1 - Programming Fundamentals
    • Programming Fundamentals Content
  • 2 - Python
    • Expected Python Knowledge
    • GitHub
    • Learning Python
    • Data Structures and File Management
      • Data Structures
        • Lists
        • Arrays
          • Single and Multi-Dimensional Arrays
        • Lists vs Arrays
          • Activities
        • Tuples
        • Sets
        • Dictionaries
          • Activities
      • File Handling
        • Loops, Lists, Dictionaries
        • Activities
  • 3 - Theory Content
    • Theory Content Explained
      • NESA Directional Verbs
      • Responding to Directional Verbs
  • 4 - Software Development and Management
    • Approaches to Software Development
      • Waterfall Model
      • Agile Model
      • Summary: Waterfall vs Agile
      • Activities
    • Software Development Steps
      • Sample Exam Question
      • Requirements Definition
        • Understanding the Need
        • Key Questions to Ask
        • Examples
        • Activities
        • Sample Exam Question
      • Determining Specifications
        • Functional Specifications
        • Non-Functional Specifications
        • Activities
      • Design
        • Top-Down Design Approach
        • Bottom-Up Design Approach
      • Development
        • Optimising Code
      • Integration
        • Example: Payment Program
        • Activity
        • Application Programming Interface (API)
          • Example: OpenWeather API
          • Example: WeatherAPI
          • Activity: Prepare Spells
      • Testing and Debugging
        • Test Data
          • Activities
        • Testing the System
          • Activities
        • Debugging
          • Types of Errors
            • Activities
          • Python Debugger
            • Activities
          • VS Code Debugger
            • Activities
      • Installation
        • Activities
        • Sample Exam Question
      • Maintenance
  • Charts and Algorithms
    • Example: IPO Charts and Pseudocode
      • Activities
    • Algorithms, Flowcharts, Pseudocode
      • Pseudocode Activities
      • Flowchart Activities
      • Sample Exam Questions
    • Structure Charts
      • Activities
      • Sample Exam Questions
    • Data Flow Diagrams
      • Activities
    • Data Dictionaries
      • Activities
    • Decision Trees
      • Activities
      • Sample Exam Questions
    • Gantt Chart
    • Class Diagrams
      • Sample Exam Question
    • Storyboards
      • Sample Exam Question
  • Testing and Debugging
    • Test Data
      • Activities
    • Testing the System
      • Activities
    • Debugging
      • Types of Errors
        • Activities
      • Python Debugger
        • Activities
      • VS Code Debugger
        • Activities
  • Computational Thinking
    • Decomposition
    • Abstraction
    • Activities
  • Version Control
    • Git
    • GitHub
    • Activities
  • Number Systems
    • Binary Systems
    • Hexadecimal Numbers
    • Using Two's Complement
    • Activities
  • 5 - Assessment Task 1
    • Data Science Project
      • Before we Start
        • Setting up GitHub Repository
        • Setting Up Markdown Documentation
      • Examples of API Usage
        • Starter Code: NASA Scenario
        • Starter Code: Spell Book
        • Starter: Pokédex Explorer
        • Starter Code: Weather App
        • Example: OpenWeather API
        • Example: WeatherAPI
        • Example: Prepare Spells
    • Task Guide
      • Requirements Definition
      • Determining Specifications
        • Use Cases
      • Design
        • Gantt Chart
        • Structure Chart
        • Algorithms
        • Data Dictionary
      • Development
        • Comments vs DocStrings
        • UI - main.py
        • Create Python Module
          • Example: NASA Module
          • Example: WeatherFetch Module
          • Example: SpellBook Module
      • Integration
        • Example: Pokedex
      • Testing and Debugging
        • Commit Changes
      • Installation
      • Maintenance
    • Submitting Your Task
Powered by GitBook
On this page
  1. 4 - Software Development and Management
  2. Software Development Steps
  3. Integration

Application Programming Interface (API)

An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of rules, protocols, and tools for building software applications. API's specify how software components should interact.

In the context of web development, API's often refer to web services or RESTful API's, which allow for communication between different pieces of software over the internet.

A web API allows external applications to access data or features of the serving application or platform. This is done over a web protocol (typically HTTP or HTTPS). The data exchanged is often in JSON or XML format.

Sharing Functionality

API's are designed to enable the integration between different systems, allowing them to communicate and share data. They can be public, allowing developers to access features of external services (like social media or maps), or private, for internal use within organisations.

API's abstract the complexity of a software component, providing only the tools necessary for the programmer. This means that the developer doesn't need to understand the intricate details of how the software works internally to use it.

  • Social Media Integration: Web API's are used to integrate social media sharing, login, or data access features into websites and applications.

  • Payment Gateway Integration: API's provided by services like PayPal or Stripe are used to integrate payment processing into e-commerce platforms.

  • Cloud Services: API's are used to interact with cloud service providers like AWS or Azure for services like storage, computing, and database management.

PreviousActivityNextExample: OpenWeather API

Last updated 2 months ago