New Training: Understand the Challenges of Consuming APIs

In this 6-video skill, CBT Nuggets trainer Ben Finkel teaches you about the challenges of timeout errors and synchronous and asynchronous API communication. Learn how to build back-off patterns and retry scripts to address those opportunities. Watch this new Cisco training.

Learn Cisco with one of these courses:

• Automating APIs and Protocols for Cisco Enterprise Solutions

• Cisco CCNP Automating Cisco Enterprise Solutions

• Cisco Certified DevNet Professional

This training includes:

• 6 videos

• 27 minutes of training

You’ll learn these topics in this skill:

• Understand the Challenges of Consuming APIs

• Synchronous vs. Asynchronous APIs

• Creating an Asynchronous API Call in Python

• Handling HTTP Error Codes

• Implementing a Backoff Script

• API Challenges Summary

APIs Are Simpler Than You Think

An application programming interface (API) is a set of functions that set out and define how a piece of hardware or software can be interacted with. You could imagine an API like a description of a spigot for a garden hose: it would tell you how much pressure the water will come out under, the water’s temperature and how wide your hose’s plug should be. With all that information, you know where the water comes from and can bring whatever hose you want.

When you’re dealing with APIs, there’s a figure of speech that’s meant to clarify who is “using” an API. That expression is “consume”. “Consume” is used when talking about an API so that it’s clear which side of the relationship you’re on. If you’re “using” an API, it’s not entirely clear whether you’re providing the information to the API from the source end, or taking the information for your own uses. “Consuming” an API means using the API or its information in your own application.