What is an API?
An API, or application programming interface, is a set of rules that enables software applications to communicate with each other. Think of it as an intermediary layer that allows one program to request services or data from another — like when you edit a document and the software automatically syncs the changes to your cloud storage.
Your business can create and use APIs to streamline tasks like retrieving information from document storage, integrating third party services, or syncing data across multiple platforms. Each API serves a specific purpose, depending on its type and your business needs.
Note: With the help of a software development kit (SDK), which provides pre-built tools and resources, developers can implement APIs more efficiently and streamline integration processes.
Most common types of APIs
According to Rapid’s State of APIs, 75.1% of developers work on internal APIs. This number suggests that most respondents prioritize internal business operations and system integration over creating public APIs (also known as “external”) — those designed for third party developers.
Apart from internal and external APIs, there are other ways to classify APIs. The most common method is by protocol, which refers to the rules that control how platforms exchange data.
Here’s a breakdown of the most common API protocols.
- REST API: REpresentational State Transfer is the most popular type of API and is ideal for web services. It uses HTTP commands like GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE to interact with data like user profiles, documents, products, and more.
- SOAP API: The Simple Object Access Protocol relies on XML for message formatting and often supports software applications where security and transactional reliability are critical, such as banking systems.
- GraphQL API: Instead of using multiple commands to request different data, this model allows you to retrieve all the information in a single query, making it ideal for platforms powered by artificial intelligence (AI) or other complex apps.
- WebSocket API: This protocol provides two-way communication between a client (which sends requests) and a server (which provides the data). It supports software applications that require real-time updates, such as chat apps or live notifications.
- OAuth API: Open Authorization APIs enable authentication by allowing users to log in to apps using credentials from trusted third-party services. They’re usually part of secure collaboration tools, such as project management and virtual whiteboarding platforms.
Top API benefits for businesses
The bigger your tech stack, the more APIs you’ll need to keep everything connected, especially in large-scale operations. Per Zylo’s 2024 SaaS Management Index, organizations with over 10,000 employees use an average of 650 software applications — approximately 141.64% more than the average across businesses.
To simplify the management of hundreds of platforms and reduce time spent on tasks, your company should rely heavily on APIs to integrate them. Here are three primary API benefits for the enterprise.
Secure and compliant interoperability
In advanced platforms, API rules often include multi-factor authentication (MFA), granular permissions, and file encryption, protecting sensitive data like customer details or financial records from cyberattacks and breaches. These measures also help comply with industry laws and standards, especially if your company handles personally identifiable information (PII).
Automated and AI-powered business workflows
Software APIs connect multiple applications, automating routine tasks and eliminating the need for manual intervention. For example, an API provider might sync customer data from your CRM system or use AI to automatically pull information from contracts within an Intelligent Content Management platform. These processes help save time and enable more efficient workflows.
Enhanced software customization and scalability
Whether choosing an API platform with cloud app integrations or creating your own, APIs make it easy to customize apps without disrupting the entire system. For instance, APIs let you integrate specialized third party apps, like communication tools, into your document management platform. This flexibility lets you add new features, improve user experience, and manage higher volumes of data or users without major changes in the infrastructure.
Expanding your business? Discover why you need scalable cloud data storage.
How do APIs work?
APIs allow data to move between applications through these five steps.
- Request: The process starts when the client, which could be a user or an application, sends a request. This step might involve signing a contract electronically, scheduling a post on social media, or asking AI to summarize an extensive report.
- API processing: The API then converts that request into a language the server understands, possibly triggering content storage queries or other backend processes to fulfill the request.
- Response: Once the request is processed, the server sends the result, such as returning customer data, confirming an action, or sending an error message if an issue occurs.
- Data transmission: The server transmits the data across the network, typically in a format like JSON or XML. This step confirms that the client and the server understand and work with the exchanged information.
- Client reception: Finally, the client processes and uses this information by displaying it to the user, performing another action, or integrating it into a different platform. This cycle allows efficient communication between different systems.
Examples of APIs that support businesses
According to an Axway report, 99.5% of organizations rely on APIs as part of their go-to-market strategies. APIs help enhance customer experience, create content, and extract insights from unstructured data, along with other tasks that drive innovation and growth.
Check out these API use cases to optimize your technology framework.
Examples of API services | Purpose |
This API service allows software developers to integrate cloud storage functionalities into their applications, so users can upload, organize, store, and sync files in the cloud | |
| External portal APIs enable you to incorporate UI elements that help build and customize content workspaces for improved experiences with external stakeholders, such as clients and vendors, so they can more easily access information, manage transactions, and collaborate securely |
Developers leverage APIs to integrate collaborative document editing features into applications, so users can create, co-edit, comment on, and share files in real time | |
E-signature APIs integrate electronic signature capabilities into your content management platform, speeding up and securing the document signing process | |
Communication software | Communication APIs let you connect messaging, voice, and video features to your applications, streamlining communication and collaboration across team members and departments |
AI APIs provide access to advanced AI capabilities like natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) — allowing you to integrate features like AI content generation, metadata extraction, and document retrieval into your applications without building AI models from scratch |
Leverage enterprise APIs to streamline workflows with Box
Handling multiple platforms costs you time and can hold you back when you want to scale effectively. With Box, you connect all your unstructured data across 1,500+ applications, leveraging rich APIs and developer tools to customize solutions that meet your business needs.
The Intelligent Content Cloud gives you a centralized platform for managing, creating, organizing, and extracting insights from your content. We combine AI-powered workflow automation with advanced security and compliance to help you drive outcomes while adhering to industry regulations.
Plus, Box Platform lets you extend Intelligent Content Management capabilities into any kind of app, from communication software to CRM. Empower your teams to collaborate on content and integrate the power of AI across multiple platforms with ease.
Let’s connect and discuss the best enterprise APIs to supercharge your content workflows.
** While we maintain our steadfast commitment to offering products and services with best-in-class privacy, security, and compliance, the information provided in this blog post is not intended to constitute legal advice. We strongly encourage prospective and current customers to perform their own due diligence when assessing compliance with applicable laws.