The first question that will be on your lips is what is an API?
Well, here is a textbook definition:
An API stands for “Application Programming Interface.” An API is a set of commands, function, protocols and objects that programmers can use to create software or interact with an external system. It provides developers with standard commands for performing common operations so they do not have to write the code from scratch.
But not all of us are computer geeks or nerds. Ok, most of us are not. So here are simple, fun ways of understanding what an Application Programming Interface (API) is:
You buy an extension, which you intend using to charge your phone, laptop and the likes. For the extension to work, you are not going to plug straight to the transformer next to your house, or the wire transmitting electric current to you, right? No, you need an interface. Something that can stand in the gap and collect the energy from the electric current down to you. You need a socket. This socket which is usually connected to a wire on the wall serves as an interface to which you plug your extension. This in response to the interface, enables you to charge your phone and any other thing.
The API is just like that socket, except it is something you can’t see and it has more to do with the internet world.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE
You want to buy rice and chicken from your favourite restaurant. Now, do you just go into the kitchen where it is being cooked or stored? And then demand a plate of rice and chicken? Of course, not, there is an attendant, a waiter. In this case, an interface that delivers your request for a hamburger to the kitchen staff. They in response to your request, hand over the food to the waiter, who will, in turn, place it before you. And then, lunch or dinner is served. Or breakfast, if you are the one that does late meals or does not fancy the routine bread, tea and egg.
The waiter has served as an API, relaying messages for you all in a bid to deliver a service. You must have guessed by now that in the real sense, the person making the request is not a person, but codes. Just like the waiter and kitchen staff responding to the requests are are all codes.
So, simply put, APIS are messengers that take requests from a user end, go to the right quarters to deliver the message. And then relays back an answer to the user again. In a technical sense, you use an API when you employ the code written by someone else or their database for your own purpose, or to service your own website.
WHY DO I NEED TO KNOW API?
There are a lot of ways knowing how the API works can profit an average online business person. Say, you have a natural hair blog that sometimes needs to display videos. You might not have these videos at all. But by integrating Youtube’s API to your site, these videos can be displayed on your site.
It is through this the API that many videos on YouTube get featured on sites that clearly are not Youtube. Another easy way of using API is having a website where you need people to sign in or login. Because you know Google or Facebook already have the sign in feature which is way professional. On proper request, you can simply use Google or Facebook’s sign in feature. So that, what you will have on your own website is “sign in with Google or Login with Facebook”. You might be nodding in understanding right now. That’s good, but there is something even better.
LET VTPASS.COM SERVE YOU WELL
Vtpass.com is your one-stop online payment platform through which you can pay for any such service like your phone airtime, Cable TV subscription, Electricity bill and other services. Because of its widespread reach, you can utilise the services we offer at vtpass.com anywhere and at any time. All that needs be done is:
Login to vtpass.com.
Select the service you want to pay for and enter the necessary details.
Pay.
And if you want to do bigger things as an IT brain, you can integrate Vtpass.com’s API into your website or application and begin to sell any of these services to those in contact with your website or app. What this means is that you get to resell such services as 9mobile, MTN, GLO, Airtel airtime and data subscriptions, electricity bills for almost all electricity distribution companies, educational payments such as WAEC Scratch Card, cable TV subscriptions and so much more. And if you are not the technical specialist, but you have a website through which you can sell our services, you can consult your web developer or programmer who will, in turn, visit our website vtpass.com or consult our support centre and make you a retailer of our services.
And if you are not the technical specialist. But you have a website through which you can sell any of our services. You can consult your web developer or programmer. The programmer will, in turn, visit our website vtpass.com or consult our support centre. And make you a retailer of our services. But the first step is logging into vtpass.com and trying your hands on the services we sell such as phone airtime, electricity bills, data subscriptions, DStv, Startimes and GOtv subscriptions and so on. This first step will definitely take you off guard into a place of greater beginnings.
