APIs Explained | Real World Examples

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00:00 Intro
00:40 Overview
03:27 Weather app example
05:26 KZbin API example
10:58 Conclusion
What is an API?
API stands for Application Programming Interface and it's essentially a doorway into an application.
Using this doorway, other third-party applications can get access to all of the data and features without needing to provide any custom code or integrations whatsoever.
The process works something like this.
An API request is sent to the application. An API request is just a simple HTTP message with some parameters telling the app what information to send back. This response will be sent back usually in JSON or XML format.
The beauty of APIs is that anyone can access information and features that would otherwise be unobtainable.
For example, most of us do not have access to a worldwide network of weather stations, but, anyone can build a mobile app and use APIs to request the data from the already existing weather application.
APIs have become so widespread, you would be hard-pressed to find a popular application these days that doesn’t offer API access.
With this amount of access to APIs, the possibilities are endless.

[@pedrolopez8057]

For those of you new to this also understand that the word "interface" just means where two things meet. Some people think interface just means user interface. It can also be used in terms of database interface, network interface, software interface, urban wilderness interface, land sea interface etc. I've been looked at strangely by people who thought it only meant graphical user interface (GUI).

[@fnoxin5135]

Thanks

[@voduytruong886]

ong thanks a lot, you clear my mind, so much thanks

[@carlosargelioarevalomercado]

It is actually a systems theory concept. Something that connects two different systems

[@pedrolopez8057]

@@carlosargelioarevalomercado It's much broader than that. That is one example of an interface.

[@carlosargelioarevalomercado]

@@pedrolopez8057 much broader than systems theory?

[@-thelegitnoob-]

"Babe wake up, new CertBros dropped"

[@Certbros]

This cracked me up 😂😂😂

[@ardentdfender4116]

This was damn funny reading the comments.

[@code_elaborated]

😂😂😂

[@ShioTV703]

😆😆

[@ardentdfender4116]

As a gamer and one who has used addons for games, I’ve heard of APIs for almost 20 years. I be honest to say as much as I’ve heard of the thing, I knew they did a query to the server of the MMO games I played, I’ve never had any idea how they worked. Not clearly. This was a very good example with the video in clear explanation. This has also given me an idea for my job in industrial automation.

[@MrTutiplengo]

The video is explaining the concept of Web APIs, specifically, not APIs themselves. An API is just the collection of classes, methods and functions exposed by a programming library or framework. Web APIs is the same concept, but brought to the Internet. It's important to know the difference.

[@hastyscorpion]

People using this video to learn are not at the level where that distinction makes a difference.

[@MrTutiplengo]

@@hastyscorpion All the more important to learn things right from the get go. They are learning a definition of API that's not 100% accurate, they will probably encounter the concept of an API (a real software API) at some point in their careers and get it wrong. Hopefully this won't cost anyone an opportunity in job interviews.

[@amaechiwilliams1345]

That's not true. There are different levels to learning. Starting from teaching a person 1 + 1 without necessarily teaching them immediately 6578 +-* 7655 doesn't mean 1 + 1 is wrong. This is just an 11 minutes video. You don't expect them to touch all aspects of API. No person that wants to get serious knowledge about a topic would just watch an 11 minutes video and that's all. There's hours and hours of lectures they know they have to learn but they'll have to START from somewhere.

[@MrTutiplengo]

@@amaechiwilliams1345 I agree that anyone seeking to learn more about this will watch a lot more videos on it. And I do agree that this video is a good introduction to the topic of Web APIS, a good starting point. That being said, I don't think it was too difficult to explain that there is something called APIs and another thing called Web APIS. This is still a simple enough concept that can be explained in layman's terms without getting to deep into the details.

[@sonugupta147]

Very true....when I started my backend development learning journey, I found everywhere the same definition, "an API is the set of rules and protocols which enables the communication among different systems". While this definition is theoretically correct but it doesn't tell the whole picture like what an entity it is and due to this I was just stuck, frustrated, and confused about a month. It was later when I got to know that the APIs are just the classes and methods exposed by a service or system to the users in a specific pre-defined rules and protocols. So basically they standardised the communications between the systems by providing a set of functions and classes to call the actual function classes or methods of the system/services.....As an extra layer of methods above the actual functions/methods.

[@kosamoza]

Thanks for the quick short introduction It was really so helpful

[@WestCoastAce27]

Great explanation. I would add: if you’re thinking about doing this as a business, we forewarned that big companies do ‘change the rules’ for their API access whenever they wish, including starting to charge large fees.

[@FIREBUG7479]

Amazing explanation! Truly valuable, I can say I learnt so much from this channel about technology than what lecturers in schools have taught.

[@angelovenerbaloloy8243]

Thank you for creating this video. I've been hearing this "API" long ago but never understood it until today thanks for this video.

[@olasupoismail6285]

Well presented in simple and digestible format

[@tuhinchowdhury5260]

Thank You for explaining in detail, slow and steady manner. It really helped me to understand the concept of API with actual practical example rather than reading definitions here and there.

[@ozgeylmaz8685]

explanations are in a very clear way thank you for the tutorial:)

[@shashankprakash4517]

Awesome! The CRUD analogy, I've one other place earlier

[@MrReklez]

Your explanations are amazing. Nice pace, great animations & examples.

[@booksbybytes]

A voice made for radio! Thanks for the video.

[@Grinwa]

I love api and ur videos they just make the internet better

[@fabiopellacini6231]

Great and very clear explanation! Thank you so much!!! 😊👍

[@nicholascarr8654]

This video is about REST APIs. It is misleading to beginners as it will make them think that all APIs are REST/HTTP. The title should say "REST APIs."

[@NathanHedglin]

THIS. Web devs especially influencers aren't very smart

[@fridaaa0]

what’s the difference?

[@ramyromeo9846]

thank you very much when i saw the title of the video i was saying the exact same API's was giving me a hedace to understand thank you

[@PriyanshuKumar-qu8vo]

The best video on API ever, I found.😄

[@alozie__]

Wow this, I like how you broke down everything with examples. I was wondering what JSON format is and how I would have gone to look for another video to understand that but you broke everything down with examples. Lovely

[@great-knowlage]

Nice video, i understand APIs better now. Thank you

[@draxano6132]

Greatest API video I've ever seen!!!

[@jenniferogonda7816]

@certbros O passed CCNA today and i want to thank you for all the awesome videos you have.They sure helped me ...

[@Certbros]

Congratulations on getting your CCNA Jennifer!!! Happy to have helped. Keep up the great work.

[@kemibrianolimba682]

Brilliant, keep up the great work

[@tonybo927]

Nice. Finally a high level detailed overview of API's explained in a way that someone who's not that familiar with API concepts will be able to grasp. Much appreciated.

[@taherimohsen2000]

Very nice description. Thank you :)

[@darentsimon]

Channelling my inner John Tuld (Margin Call): "Please, speak as you might to a young child or a Golden Retriever. It wasn't brains that got me here, I can assure you that." You did, and now it's finally sunken in! Thank you 👍

[@Certbros]

Love this!! Really happy you liked it 😁

[@atmmustafizurrahman6934]

it is one of the best explanations ever.

[@klarissa6350]

Important to note that this is just HTTP/Web APIs APIs exist way out of the scope of web apps or Http

[@prudencen_n1267]

If only I could give this video many likes :) Well explained, especially for a beginner

[@Rahul24Prajapati]

Great explanation, thanks a lot...

[@nicholastaylor8983]

Good stuff my man!

[@sugaslate14]

I had no idea how much I needed this hahaha thanks new sun here

[@toniok.4726]

Spectacular as always

[@Certbros]

Thank you Tonio! Appreciate the kind words 🙏

[@silentracer6529]

This is BY FAR the best API explanation on KZbin. Thank you!

[@RRENH]

FINALLY. I get it. Thank you!

[@itanand05]

Really Amazing Explanation..

[@vladimiraleksic4066]

Hey, it is nice not to be scared of APIs anymore 😂. Great job 🎉

[@sandeepreyyi5124]

Thank you so much sir 🙏

[@BryanBloom]

Excellent video!

[@divkaran9102]

Good explanation, thx

[@xxjustinx34xx]

Thank you for making videos, learned soooo much from this channel!

[@Certbros]

Really happy to hear that Justin! You're welcome and thank you for comment 👌

[@dennispeterson3691]

I've heard the term "API" tossed around for years by people who love to use jargon. Your video finally explained what they are and why they are so common. Thank you, and well done!

[@kayef5724]

thank you, great video

[@atman84]

wonderful content!

[@MrRic716]

Thank a lot :) well explained

[@Teh-Penguin]

Thanks! Very well explained imho.

[@amad8099]

Absolutely brilliant! Thank you!

[@droklass]

Really great channel, I learned a lot of things, thank you so much.

[@Certbros]

You're very welcome! Happy to help.

[@moe583]

Amazing explanation

[@AbachiriProduction]

ty best explanation i have found

[@kerandonovan7255]

Fantastic tutorial

[@RunZettabyte]

very helpful!! thanks

[@ruddy_winter9469]

The thumbnail was exactly the question i had in my head.

[@alvinmwangi]

very digestible. well done

[@aruizsilva]

Thank you so much for this

[@vback4238]

Best explanation!!!!

[@lakshanmadhushanka8541]

Great video. Thanks!!!!!!!!!

[@behrad9712]

perfect!👌

[@malkhazarabuli8903]

Amazing!!!! Thanks

[@biggestghost1302]

You earned the subscribe on this one

[@tigranavagyan5922]

Thank you!!!

[@niazakaria2819]

Thank you!

[@Aratolotl]

This is the best video explaining this concept. I am a designer and know some front end, and although I had a notion of these concepts, with this video everything is crystal clear.

[@gregoryopondi3652]

liked and subscribed. for a whole week, I've been searching for an explanation that could make me understand APIs. This was it!

[@joenice242]

Very well explained to a noob like me up until the point where I asked myself: So how is the response received and do you need to run it through a service like postman or was that just for the display?

[@RaulDiaz3d]

Thank you so much

[@barbobrien9318]

Well done.

[@RaninSaadi-ij5hg]

thank you sooo much

[@mohammadzaiter9607]

Best explanation!

[@Certbros]

Thank you Mohammad!

[@twang31]

Thanks you so much for a simple to the point explanation. Best video that explains api, yet.

[@sukighataore8257]

Excellently explained! !!!! Thank you soooo soooo much.

[@ayeshashakeel]

This was the best explanation of API's I've seen so far. Thanks a lot!

[@NathanHedglin]

*Server API. This isn't what an API is.

[@bruvhellnah]

@@NathanHedglin how do they differ?

[@TheSaintsVEVO]

@@bruvhellnah To me and most people if you just say “API” it means a “Web API”. It’s a way by which you can send messages over the internet to an application and interact with it. “API” in general means an interface to interact with applications using code (this interaction is not necessarily over the internet) But either way, usually when most people say “API” it means “Web API”.

[@HappinessTheBrand]

So clear

[@KapitanZbik2138]

The simplest and the best explanation, thank You very much!

[@faroukthenoob-ftn9610]

Thanks mate

[@attouchimohamed572]

This is really entertaining 😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@Certbros]

Thank you Attouchi!

[@andrewmcnamara3959]

The first 3 seconds proved this fella understands my pain

[@Certbros]

We've all thought it! 😂

[@emmanueladuku8136]

You are F**ing Good man...I always stay tuned to your channel awaiting your contents like a young man waiting for his favourite music to get played on his favourite FM station...I wish to meet you some day..you make my IT journey feel like biscuits.😂

[@Certbros]

Thank you so much Emmanuel 🙏 Really appreciate the kind words. Comments like these are why I keep making these videos. Good luck with your IT journey.

[@oksanakulkovets5692]

I've understood 😊

[@shivanimishra2448]

Beautiful

[@kemon3733]

Was looking for a video to watch while eating my supper. Why now eat and learn

[@lherfel]

nice video explanation thanks

[@lalogreiner]

Wonderful! You've helped me understand something I've had to work with only notion-wise for many years!

[@orleydoss3171]

Great information and nicely done👍

[@Certbros]

Thanks Orley! Really appreciate it 👍

[@justcode7326]

I already knew what is API still i watched complete video because you are #$÷*@ing awesome

[@Certbros]

Thanks man! Really appreciate it. That's why you're awesome too ☝

[@moali-mo4dl]

now that's some thorough Explanation! thanks

[@SpesMagisteriiGradus]

thank you

[@sanjeevKumar-eg6hp]

What an amazing explanation. Thanks for the knowledge man.

[@nyasiam.2819]

Thank you

[@LovesGrilling]

I like how the intro music is the hottest rap beat since 2007

[@slee2054]

Thank you so much! your channel is awesome!! I've learned a lot thanks

[@BobBob-qm2bm]

Thank you. Next API Security | Hacking training video👨‍💻

[@isimoto]

Exactly what I needed. Thank you !

[@Certbros]

Thank you Iulian! Good to hear it helped 👍

[@zenrobotninja]

So happy I found this channel, really great explanations

[@yalebass]

the practical example with the KZbin API was REALLY helpful, thanks!

[@shashankprakash4517]

How can we build on the information from this video? What would be next?

[@SaintTwitch1]

I hadn't thought about the term in the past only coming accros it a few time but this was a lot more interesting then i thought, great video.

[@opnsrcguy829]

excellent

[@MsHardland]

CertBros, If you don't mind, Can you please share your mic model number and setup detail?