How To Make My Software Communicate Together?

As digital technology continues to evolve, more and more organizations are beginning to integrate technology into day-to-day business processes. However, as businesses increasingly adopt applications in their overall framework, it is important to consider cross-application communication.

When adopting different digital applications, it is extremely crucial to ensure that they are integrative and compatible with each other to ensure that data can be shared amongst different communication channels.

However, the use of an API can help organizations connect multiple systems so that they can interact with each other. Studies show that 96% of people think that the businesses they work with could improve communication and project management. Therefore, increasing data accessibility and integration with the use of an API can significantly improve overall organizational efficiency and productivity.

How To Use An API

1) Build A Server

The first step of enabling different software to communicate with one another is building a server. This server will source, acquire and retrieve requested data from a comprehensive database.

2) Establish Endpoints and Data Sources

The API server will consist of data from a wide variety of different data sources such as your organization’s different digital systems and applications.

3) Search Query

When a user searches for data the API will check the different established endpoints and data sources, retrieve the requested data and convert it into an interpretable configuration.

Why Use An API

APIs can provide businesses with numerous advantages such as higher efficiency during the development process, increased usability of integrated features across several applications as opposed to varied features from individual applications, compatibility with newer technology, and much more.

Types of API

1) Internal API

Internal APIs are usually limited to one singular system and are typically only meant for the use of one company as opposed to third-party users. Internal APIs are considered to be more secure than publicly available APIs.

2) Open API

Open APIs are publicly available to any developer that is willing to pay a subscription fee. Open APIs enable users to share data and information openly, which means that software connected to the API can be integrated and linked to any third-party software that is also connected to the API, which can make it easier for your business to introduce new types of software.

3) Partner API

Although Partner APIs are available for external use, they are usually reserved for authorized clients or partners with the specified licensing agreement. Therefore, Partner APIs may have a higher amount of security than that of an Open API.

4) Composite API

Composite APIs enable users to link data from numerous different data sources to create one centralized response from multiple servers. Composite APIs have many advantages such as more efficient systems, reduced server loads, and overall improved performance.

Planet Crust – Enable Cross-Platform Communication

Planet Crust’s low-code, open-source solutions are equipped with an in-built API that can enable cross-platform communications and enable various types of software to communicate with each other.

Planet Crust’s software enables users to utilize a data-rich dashboard that can provide users with a 360-degree overview of organizational data and information, an API-centric, a drag-and-drop editor, a responsive web interface, powerful data reporting tools, and much more. Try a demo so that your business can enable cross-platform communication and connect various types of software.