Why Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are important in ecommerce

In this article, our software engineers will explain what Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are and why it is important to integrate them into an ecommerce.

The premise, perhaps obvious, you can already imagine: Cuborio is designed to be able to integrate any API. But let's go in order, starting with the meaning of APIs and their use in the IT world.

What are APIs or Application Programming Interfaces

An Application Programming Interface (API) is a technology that allows developers to create applications, services and websites that can connect to external databases or platforms. Put simply, an API is a way to connect two or more software programmes so that they can communicate with each other.
An example of an API that is widely used in ecommerce is when you want to upload product images to an online shop.

With Cuborio, instead of having to manually write the necessary codes to upload the image, you simply use the API of the ecommerce platform that provides all the necessary codes.
APIs are a fundamental part of modern technology as they enable people to integrate different software and services more seamlessly.

A clear example of what APIs are can be seen on smartphones: if a user downloads an application, he or she can access different services via the device's API, such as the camera, GPS or internet connection.

In addition, APIs make it possible to share the same content between multiple devices. With Cuborio, for example, it is possible to create an ecommerce APP via its RESTful API so that a user can buy a product online and receive the relevant confirmation on their smartphone, tablet and computer with the same API and at the same time the ecommerce owner will also receive the same information.

What are API Keys used for in ecommerce?

API Keys are an alphanumeric code string that allows an online service to establish its identity and verify authorisation to access certain functionalities. API keys are used by businesses, programmers and developers to provide access to resources in a service or software platform.

In general, API keys are used to provide privileged access to online services such as code libraries, databases and various apps as we wrote in our article on the WhatsApp Business API and the integration of the instant messaging service with an ecommerce.

In addition, they can also be used to authenticate access by authorised users because they offer an additional layer of security when working with online services or when conducting financial transactions. An API Key is an authentication mechanism that serves to ensure that only authorised persons can access available resources and that data is protected from unauthorised access.

As far as ecommerce is concerned, APIs are crucial to ensure a smooth customer experience when purchasing products online. For example, APIs allow a customer to quickly view prices and product availability without having to reload the web page. In addition, APIs are also useful for efficiently handling online payments in a secure way for customers.

This is why APIs are extremely important in ecommerce as they greatly simplify the purchasing process for the customer while ensuring security in online transactions and, if all that is not enough, they enable the ecommerce operator to minimise the possibility of errors by simplifying the entire internal process that starts with product entry and ends with shipping.

If APIs make it possible for different software, services and devices to interact, allowing the customer to easily manage the purchase of products online, they allow anyone who wishes to do so to easily create new customised web applications without having to invest time in building the logic for accessing the information, not to mention that they also provide greater transparency in the use of the application by users.