What is an API and is it useful?
Access to a robust and safe API is increasing every single day and is becoming a requirement for any organization offering its services on the web. An API, or application programming interface, is a set of instructions for accessing a web-based software application.
The APIs are developed to give developers access to these instructions in order to use that specific application. After this developers can then design products around that application without rewriting an existing code and changing any functionality. Why this is important, is because it eliminates extra work and provides the framework for developers to use their creativity and build other products powered by that particular application.
For example, lets say a cloud services firm helps its customers with billing. Now the developers of this cloud billing company want their clients to get contracts for billing signed online. The first option would be to build an e-signature tool themselves but is it really possible? Not quite this is both time-consuming and costly. Therefore, instead of building this application themselves, they can be integrated with an existing e-signature vendor’s API, or simply outsource or contracting the work. As it saves time, money, and most likely ensures quality by recruiting a vendor that specializes in that particular functionality.
Now if take electronic signature into consideration, they are among the most prominent third party applications to be used within cloud services. As organizations continue to relocate their records and daily workflows online on regular basis, e-signatures are an increasing necessity to streamline this move and go “Paperless.” E-signatures also make the processes of verification and authentication much much easier with the use of biometric recording, optional picture taking, to name a few.
Therefore, by integrating with open APIs, a lot of web-based organizations have been able to provide even more value to clients!
esignly 