APIs, Web Services, and Mashups: What they are and how they can be used
- 1. APIs, Web Services, and Mashups What they are and how they can be used by Shane Nackerud University of Minnesota Libraries snackeru@umn.edu
- 2. Agenda What is an API? What is a Web Service? What is a mashup? What are some examples? Look at an API A little code ...
- 3. What is an API? “An application programming interface (API) is a particular set of rules and specifications that a software program can follow to access and make use of the services and resources provided by another software program.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_programming_interface
- 5. Break it down Interface for software apps and servers Application to Application interaction and exchange of data Real time communication and data exchange Allows software programs to interact with other software programs data through means other than the normal main interface
- 8. Twitter API Tweetdeck Facebook API
- 9. Web Service TweetDeck is a client application Web services are APIs that work primarily through the web, web servers, or a network Server to server APIs Google Maps API is a good example
- 11. Add the code to include the Google Maps API: <script src="http://maps.google.com/maps? file=api&v=2& key=ABQIAAAA6JBCuUc9hZU7FVhzHksqsxSFThBmb0Wg HbIO-PDXl2-6njl54hRynCyYgHJZbbA1K1ChW7zdIcbMwA" type="text/javascript"></script>
- 12. Add the code to include library locations data and mark them on the map: var request = GXmlHttp.create(); request.open("GET", "/libinc/libraries.xml", true); request.onreadystatechange = function() { if (request.readyState == 4) { var xmlDoc = GXml.parse(request.responseText); // obtain the array of markers and loop through it var markers = xmlDoc.documentElement.getElementsByTagName("mar ker");
- 13. Library Location XML Data: <markers> <marker lat="44.970971" lng="-93.243633" html="Ames Library (in Wilson Library)<br />309 19th Ave. S.<br /> Minneapolis, MN 55455<br />612-624-4857<br /><a href='http:// www.lib.umn.edu/site/fetch_hours.phtml?LibID=2'> Hours</a><br />" label="Ames Library (in Wilson Library)"/> <marker lat="44.973191" lng="-93.243083" html="Andersen Library<br />222 21st Ave. S.<br /> Minneapolis, MN 55455<br />612-625-9825<br /><a href='http:// www.lib.umn.edu/site/fetch_hours.phtml?LibID=14'> Hours</a><br />" label="Elmer L. Andersen Library"/>
- 14. Mashups A website that combines information/data from more than one source creating an integrated experience Speaking of Google Maps ...
- 20. Types of APIs Interface APIs Google Maps Bing Maps Yahoo Maps Open Street Maps Data APIs
- 21. Why? Developers Get at important data/services not locally held Quicker creation of common tasks and services Learn more about their users Create whizz-bang gizmos and gadgets
- 22. Why? Providers Create more visibility for services offered Create more traffic for services offered Make money (some APIs aren’t free) Make customers happy and be amazed at how they use your data
- 25. xISSN + WorldCat Search API + Catalog API
- 26. xISSN + WorldCat Search API + Catalog API
- 27. xISSN + WorldCat Search API + Catalog API
- 29. AlephX + xISBN
- 30. AlephX + xISBN
- 31. AlephX + Amazon Recommedations API + xISBN
- 32. AlephX + Amazon Recommedations API + xISBN
- 33. Query Protocol Record Formats
- 34. Query Protocol Record Formats xISBN - can query the API through REST and OpenURL
- 35. Query Protocol Record Formats xISBN - can query the API through REST and OpenURL Data - comes back as XML, JSON, TEXT, PHP, HTML
- 36. Query Protocol Record Formats xISBN - can query the API through REST and OpenURL Data - comes back as XML, JSON, TEXT, PHP, HTML Say what?
- 37. REST Representational State Transfer (REST) is a style of software architecture for distributed hypermedia systems such as the World Wide Web. For our purposes: RESTful APIs use HTTP to request the data Data is requested through a URL call Similar to OpenURL
- 38. xISBN REST request http://xisbn.worldcat.org/ webservices/xid/isbn/ 0596002815?format=xml
- 40. xISBN Metadata Request http://xisbn.worldcat.org/ webservices/xid/isbn/ 0596002815? method=getMetadata&format= xml&fl=*
- 43. xISBN API xisbnparse.xsl 0596002815 book.php
- 44. xISBN API xisbnparse.xsl 0596002815 book.php
- 45. xISBN API xisbnparse.xsl 0596002815 book.php xHTML page
- 47. <?php $xsl = new DomDocument; $xsl->load("xisbnparse.xsl"); $xmloutput = new DomDocument; $xmloutput->load("http://xisbn.worldcat.org/ webservices/xid/isbn/$isbn? method=getMetadata&format=xml&fl=*"); $xsltproc->importStylesheet($xsl); echo $xsltproc->transformtoXML($xmloutput); ?>
- 48. • U of M Libraries Mobile • AlephX, PrimoX, X-Services • PHP, XSLT
- 53. AlephX + ERes RSS Feed
- 54. Course Specific Resource Suggestions API Subject Guide API Course Reserves API
- 55. In conclusion Old and Busted New Hotness Web Server Web Server API API API Database Database
- 56. In conclusion With APIs the Web can truly become a networked database (of sorts) Always ask a vendor if the application has an API Start noticing APIs that are available and think ... Be a provider, too
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- #25: It uses the WorldCat Search API to fill in citation information for books, magazines, newspapers, Web sites, journals, films and more. Started at Carnegie Mellon, now contains over 25 million citations.\n
- #26: The code gathers related ISSN from the xISSN web service and then uses these to gather relevant subject headings from the Worldcat Search API. It then uses these subject headings to search for and display other titles that the library has that have similar subjects, allowing users to "Find Similar Journals" to the ones they are browsing.\n
- #27: The code gathers related ISSN from the xISSN web service and then uses these to gather relevant subject headings from the Worldcat Search API. It then uses these subject headings to search for and display other titles that the library has that have similar subjects, allowing users to "Find Similar Journals" to the ones they are browsing.\n
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