Integration with APIs
APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) allow different software programs to communicate with each other. Think of an API like a waiter in a restaurant. You tell the waiter what food you want, and they take your order to the kitchen. The kitchen prepares the food and gives it to the waiter, who then brings it back to you.
In software, an API works similarly. Your program “requests” data or actions from another program or service (like getting weather information from a weather website), and the API “responds” with the data or results. This allows your program to connect with and use other services, making it more powerful and useful without building everything from scratch.
For better Practice you can use Air table instance
By using Airtable’s API, your program can interact with data stored in Airtable, making it easy to manage information, organize projects, or store details, all within your app. This type of integration saves time and allows your app to work smoothly with other tools.
From below link you can download the document about how to create free Air Table instance
APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) allow applications to interact with external systems or services by providing predefined methods and endpoints.
API integration enables applications to access external data, functionality, or services, enhancing application capabilities and interoperability.
The HttpClient class is commonly used to make HTTP requests in C#.
- RESTful APIs: Use HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) and are lightweight.
- SOAP APIs: Use XML and are protocol-based with strict standards.
Use libraries like System.Text.Json or Newtonsoft.Json to deserialize JSON responses into C# objects.
An API key is a unique identifier used to authenticate API requests. It is usually included in the request headers or as a query parameter.
Handle exceptions such as HttpRequestException and check HTTP status codes to manage errors effectively.
- HttpClient (built-in).
- RestSharp (third-party).
- Refit (third-party for building strongly-typed API clients).
Use secure practices like encrypting sensitive data, using HTTPS, and including authentication tokens.
Webhooks are user-defined HTTP callbacks triggered by specific events in an API, allowing real-time updates.
