Flickr Plugs Its Leaky Boat

With users exporting Flickr photos to SnapJoy, Flickr apparently shut off access to its API:

Snapjoy’s co-founder Michael Dwan tells us that no warning was given to Snapjoy about its access to Flickr’s API being shut down, nor did his company do anything that other sites do with the freely available access to many other developers.

Since the Flickraft site launched, over 250k photos have been imported to Snapjoy via Flickr, showing that there are many people who were pretty happy about the offering of a “life raft” to get their photos off of the Yahoo! owned photo site.

It seems fair to point out that SnapJoy’s own API is not yet public.

Will the Real Google Plus API Please Stand Up?

Since Google’s social network was released there have been unofficial Google Plus APIs. And when the official Google Plus API was released, it was read-only and not as complete as developers wanted.

CMSWire describes the problem and wonders if the real Google Plus API is on its way:

There has been frequent criticism and questions about Google Plus’ lackluster developer access. Google has offered a limited read-only development interface and a 1+ badge since September, but no official mechanisms to build the third-party tools that are common for other social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

Via Jeremy Goldman

API News You Shouldn’t Miss

• PowerInbox Launches API So You Can Learn to Love Your Inbox Again
• Something fishy about Google Chrome’s Safe Browsing API
• Get Your Free Cloud Database Today
• Tweetbot has options for custom API endpoints via Nick Snyder
• AppFog Storms Data Flow and Load Testing
• Gilt Groupe Offers its First Public API
• Formstack and Constant Contact Launch Form and Email Marketing Integration

15 New APIs

Today we had 15 new APIs added to our API directory including a used motorcycle listings, affiliate marketing network, protein to nucleic acid back-translation service, protein to nucleic acid back-translation service, dna visualization tool, nucleic acid to peptide translation service, coastal conditions information service, coastal mapping information retrieval tool, url shortening and expanding service, philippines deal service, phylogenetic footprinting service, file sharing and ftp service, random alistair young quote generator, video sharing application, advertising management platform, . Below is more details on each of these new APIs.

aRodar API: aRodar is a web site where users can search for or post used motorcycles for sale. There is also a forum for members of the community to interact. The API allows users to publish their ads on the site, on their applications or via the affiliate network. With the API users can look up classified ads, vehicle information and ad status. The API uses SOAP calls with XML responses. The site and documentation are in Spanish.

Digital River oneNetworkDirect API: Digital River's oneNetworkDirect is the affiliate marketing network specializing in software products. It features the largest selection of digital products offered online today, including some of the world's most recognized titles such as McAfee, Big Fish Games, SanDisk, Logitech and many more.

The API gives users access to some of the functionality of their oneNetworkDirect accounts. This includes access to reporting information as well as content visible to a user's network account. Methods include creativeTypes, campaignInfo, creativeInfo, optionalInfo, monthlyStatsInfo, dailyStatsInfo, getCCampaigns and more. The API uses SOAP and responses are in XML.

Public documentation is not available. Unofficial documentation can be viewed at: http://www.cumbrowski.com/CarstenC/affiliatemarketing_webservices_onenetwork.asp

EMBOSS Backtranambig API: The EMBOSS Backtranambig API reads a protein sequence input by the user and then writes the nucleic acid sequence it could have come from. To do so, it uses nucleotide ambiguity codes that represent all possible codons for each amino acid. The API is available in both RESTful and SOAP forms and responses are formatted in XML.

EMBOSS Backtranseq API: The EMBOSS Backtranseq API reads a protein sequence input by the user and then outputs the nucleic acid sequence that is most likely to have produced it. To determine the nucleic acid sequence, the API implements a codon usage table which gives the frequency of use of each codon for each amino acid. It then selects the most frequently occurring codon for each amino acid to be used in the output sequence. The API is available in both RESTful and SOAP forms and responses are formatted in XML.

EMBOSS Sixpack API: The EMBOSS Sixpack API reads a DNA sequence that's been input by the user and then outputs the three forward and (optionally) three reverse frame translations in a visual manner. The API is available in both RESTful and SOAP forms and responses are formatted in XML.

EMBOSS Transeq API: The EMBOSS Transeq API translates nucleic acid sequences into their corresponding peptide sequences. It can translate the three forward and three reverse reading frames found in DNA, and output multiple frame translations at once. The API is available in both RESTful and SOAP forms and responses are formatted in XML.

IOOS SOS API: This API is the CO-OPS Implementation of IOOS (Integrated Ocean Observation System) SOS (Sensor Observation Service). IOOS is an online tool that allows users to access information on oceanic, coastal, and Great Lakes environments collected from sources that can include NOAA and other federal agencies, the IOOS Regional Associations, and potentially other national or international organizations.

With the IOOS SOS API, users can retrieve data on currents, water levels (preliminary, verified, and predicted), meteorology, water conditions, wave harmonics, sensors, and stations via HTTP GET/POST.

nowCOAST LayerInfo API: nowCOAST is a GIS-based online mapping tool that provides access to real-time coastal environmental observations and NOAA forecasts for any region in the coastal United States. nowCOAST's LayerInfo API provides access to additional useful information on mapping layers, including Legends, Timestamps, Icons, and Layer Descriptions. The API uses HTTP calls and responses are formatted in XML, HTML and TXT.

Ow.ly API: Ow.ly is a link shortening and expanding application that allows users to either shrink or expand URLs for web pages, uploaded photos, and uploaded documents.

The Ow.ly API allows developers to access and integrate the functionality of Ow.ly with other applications and to create new applications. Some example API methods include shortening URLs, expanding URLs, retrieving information about URLs, and accessing statistics of clicks.

Paynoy API: Paynoy is a travel, services, and products deal website for the Philippines. Paynoy users can search for deals on travel, products, and services and receive deal information via email.

The Paynoy API allows developers to access and integrate the deal data and functionality from Paynoy with other applications. The API method allows for returning deal information.

Phylogenetic Footprinting API: "Phylogenetic Footprinting" is an approach for identifying regulatory regions of genes by comparing orthologous non-coding sequences. The Phylogenetic Footprinting API created and managed by Universitätsmedizin Göttingen uses a collection of SOAP-based tools to accomplish the identification process.

ShareFile API: ShareFile is a file sharing application. ShareFile's file sharing and transferring is secure, offers mobile access, file and folder syncing, and has an Outlook plugin.

The ShareFile API allows developers to access and integrate the data and functionality of ShareFile with other applications. Some example API methods include creating and managing files and folders, managing account information, and adding, deleting, and managing users.

SigQuotes API: The SigQuotes API returns .sig quotes posted by Alistair J.R. Young, a British systems software developer. With the API users can retrieve a DataSet containing all of the .sig quotes available, return a list of all the .sig quotes available or retrieve a randomly selected .sig quote from the list. The API uses SOAP protocol and responses are formatted in XML.

Socialcam API: Socialcam is a video sharing application. Socialcam users can share videos with the Socialcam mobile applications. Users can tag videos, like videos, export videos, and share their videos with other Socialcam users.

The Socialcam API allows developers to access the functionality of Socialcam to create new applications. Public documentation is not available; interested developers should email api@socialcam.com for API access.

Trafficspaces API: Trafficspaces is an advertising platform for publishers to sell advertising space and manage their advertising content. The platform allows advertisers to create their own ads within the Trafficspaces platform.

The Trafficspaces API allows developers to access and integrate the functionality of Trafficspaces with other applications. Some example API methods include managing users, accessing account information, and managing ad content and placements.

Sponsored by

In terms of the technical details, REST and JSON lead the way. There are 60 analytics REST APIs and 4 analytics SOAP APIs. Our directory lists 54 analytics XML APIs and 39 analytics JSON APIs.

The most common tags within analytics are 21 internet analytics APIs, 17 social analytics APIs and 13 analytics tools APIs

On the mashup side, we list 37 analytics mashups. We named My Top Tweet as mashup of the day earlier this week.

For reference, here is a list of all 82 analytics APIs.

  3Scale Analytics API: API management services

  AddThis Analytics API: Content sharing analytics data service

  Adigami Web Analytics API: Web advertising analytics

  appFigures API: Sales Reporting and Analytics for iTunes Apps

  Apsalar ApScience API: Mobile analytics platform

  awe.sm API: Social sharing platform and performance analytics

  Bango Analytics API: Mobile website analytics service

  Best Buy BBYOpen BBYFeed API: eCommerce shopping services

  BlueKai API: Data management platform and services

  chartbeat API: Website analytics service

  Chatterbox API: Sentiment analysis and analytics service

  Church Analytics API: Web traffic analytics service

  Clarabridge API: Sentiment and text analytics software

  Clickmap API: Usability analytics service

  Context Voice API: Social conversation aggregator

  Cownt Us API: Web site analytics

  DeskMetrics API: Software use analytics service

  eBay Best Match API: eBay search ranking analysis service

  Eloqua API: Automated marketing service

  Examineurl Online Analysis API: Website analytics and Intenet tools service

  Extractiv API: Semantic text extraction service

  Framesocket API: Video management and publishing platform

  Freespree API: Call tracking and pay-per-call service

  GoodData API: Business information service

  Google Analytics API: Web analytics service

  Google Website Optimizer API: Create and modify website optimizer experiments

  iCustomer Pulse API: Customer satisfaction survey

  Janrain Capture API: User data collection and storage service

  Kantar Video Analytics API: Video analytics service

  KISSmetrics API: Conversion funnel analytics service

  Kontagent API: Social analytics service

  Kontangent API: Social analytics platform

  KPI Dashboard API: Business information service

  Lanoba API: Website registration and authentication service

  Leftronic API: Data and analytics visualization service

  Lift Suggest API: Shopping recommendation service

  Lionyzer API: Website analysis and classification tool

  Loggr API: Web application analytics service

  LongJump API: Platform as a Service (PaaS)

  Lookery API: User-targeting service

  Medialets Medialytics API: Mobile application analytics service

  MetaLayer API: Data visualization service

  Mixpanel API: Website analytics service

  mobiAPI API: Mobile data reporting and analysis service

  Monitis Open API: Monitoring extension service

  Mopapp API: Mobile app sales tracking service

  Murrion Software Track Email Opens API: Email marketing campaign tracking service

  Musicmetric API: Music industry data tracking service

  New Relic API: Web application monitoring service

  Pardot Marketing Automation API: Website analytics and marketing

  Parse.ly API: Content publisher analytics service

  PeekYou Social Analytics API: Social network mapping and information service

  Pinch API: Mobile analytics service

  PostRank Data Mining API: Feed and story retrieval and analysis

  PostRank Real-Time Content API: Online social content analysis

  PostRank Real-Time Engagement API: Social engagement aggregator service

  Psydex AG API: Data Mining and Predictive Analysis Service

  Publishflow API: Live Competitor Monitoring for News Publishers

  PulseFlow API: Web and mobile app analytics service

  Radian6 SocialCloud API: social media monitoring tool

  Rankur API: Social Media Monitoring service

  Raven Tools API: Search engine optimization services

  Recorded Future News Analytics API: Query News Analytics Database

  ReportGrid API: Reporting and Analytics Service

  SendGrid API: Email Delivery. Simplified.

  SEO metrics API: SEO metrics gathering service

  SEOmoz API: Search engine optimization services

  Shared Count API: Social Network Tracking Service

  Site Stats API: Website traffic tracking service

  Social Report API: Social analytics platform

  Sometrics API: Social network analytics and monetization tools

  StatsMix API: Track business metrics on dashboards

  Sunnytrail API: Small business analytics service

  Syllabs API: Symantic text analysis service

  Timetric API: Statistical analysis tools and data

  Trafic.ro API: Website analytics service

  Viralheat API: Social media analytics service

  VoodooVox Caller Analytics API: Phone call demographic data service

  WebSEOAnalytics API: SEO analytics service

  WebTrends API: Web site analytics service

  Wondergraphs API: Data and analytics service

  Woopra API: Live Website Data Analysis Service

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The main difficulty with APIs in general is that they require the developer to create and remember a number of cryptic URLs via which certain data can be retrieved from the API. Another issue is, that often fairly simple data requests need to be expressed in multiple API calls, which then have to be merged by the developer itself in order to further use this data in his application.

So what can be done to overcome this misery? Yahoo’s YQL tries to address this by converting API calls into SQL-like commands, which are somewhat more human readable. Let’s look at a couple of examples of how YQL can be used to interact with the ProgrammableWeb API.

Example 1: API Mashups

To show the mashups that are using a certain API, you need to send this call to the ProgrammableWeb API:

In YQL, you get the same data with this call:

SELECT * FROM pw.mashups
WHERE apis=“google-maps” AND apikey=“YOUR_API_KEY”


While this is not shorter than the bare API call, it tells you a bit more about what you are requesting and from where. Lets have a look at another example.

Example 2: ProgrammableWeb Members from San Francisco

To find ProgrammableWeb members from San Francisco, you need this API call:

Expressed in YQL this is:

SELECT * FROM pw.members
WHERE query=“San Francisco” AND apikey=“YOUR_API_KEY”


This YQL query is very similar to the one in example 1, with just one minor twist. When defining the YQL table for an API, YQL allows for renaming of parameters in order to improve the readability of the API calls. In this case I have renamed the q parameter to query, to show this.

Example 3: ProgrammableWeb Member Data

YQL shines even more in areas where it can provide an abstraction layer to simplify queries in the original API. For example, in order to retrieve the member data of 3 different ProgrammableWeb members (usernames: jmusser, duvander, spier) you have to issue 3 API calls:

With YQL you can do all in one call:

SELECT * FROM pw.members
WHERE (username="jmusser" OR username="duvander" OR username="spier")
AND apikey="YOUR_API_KEY"


Try it Yourself

Hopefully but now I got you a bit excited about YQL and the ProgrammableWeb API, and you want to try it out.

I have created an initial set of YQL tables for the ProgrammableWeb API, which can be found in this github repository. These YQL tables are not complete yet, meaning they do not cover all API calls but it is a good start. In order to try out the YQL calls in this article, you need to do this:

• Sign-up for a ProgrammableWeb user account (if you don’t already have one)
• Request a developer key (make sure to state your ProgrammableWeb username)
• Load the ProgrammableWeb YQL tables into the YQL console
• Copy and paste one of the YQL examples from this article into the console and try them (of course using your API key)

Have fun while trying this out, and post comments about your experience with YQL and the ProgrammableWeb API below. Looking forward to hear from you.

Sponsored by

Path API Likes Your Contacts

The exclusive social network with a friend count cap Path uploads your entire address book to find out your true friends:

It all started innocently enough. I was thinking of implementing a Path Mac OS X app as part of our regularly scheduled hackathon. … It all seemed harmless enough until I observed a POST request to https://api.path.com/3/contacts/add/. Upon inspecting closer, I noticed that my entire address book (including full names, emails and phone numbers) was being sent as a plist to Path.

Predictably, this news has whipped the web into a frenzy.

Via Aaron Hockley

1 in 4 Wolfram Alpha API Calls is From Siri

The New York Times sheds some light on the Wolfram Alpha API and its number one user:

Siri accounts for about a quarter of the queries fielded by Wolfram Alpha, whose staff has grown to 200. Several large companies in health care, financial services and oil and gas recently hired Dr. Wolfram’s private company, Wolfram Research, to do tailored corporate versions of Wolfram Alpha for them. Microsoft also licenses Wolfram Alpha technology.

Via Alex Howard

API News You Shouldn’t Miss

• Google Plus Developer Page Launched
• API: Three Letters That Change Life, the Universe and Even Detroit
• Airbrake acquired by Exceptional — hopefully they’ll keep the Airbrake API intact.
• Google Summer of Code 2012 is On
• Join the Facebook Platform team at Game Developer Conference in March — the social network knows where its bread is buttered.
• Amazon DynamoDB videos
• DoubleClick for Publishers Adds Date Filtering

18 New APIs

Today we had 18 new APIs added to our API directory including a payment network service, coastal oceanographic information service, security monitoring provider, email marketing service, content management and marketing platform, messaging and mobile marketing platform, barcode database, san francisco real-time parking information and social network platform for workplaces. Below is more details on each of these new APIs.

BioDOM API: BioDOM is a JAVA library for converting native non-XML output from various bioinformatic tools to XML formats that can be validated against XMLSchemas. BioDOM is available as a download, a web console, or a SOAP API.

The API consists of four services (AlignmentML, SequenceML, RNAStructML and RNAStructAlignmentML) for converting native formats in xml and back.

CardSpring API: CardSpring is a payment network platform. CardSpring offers an API that allows developers to create applications tied to payment cards. Applications such as loyalty programs, digital coupons, and adding account information to a payment card can be built. The CardSpring API allows for integration with other applications and services, such as merchant and point-of-sale applications.

Public documentation is not available; documentation can be accessed with login.

CO-OPS API: As part of NOAA, CO-OPS (Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services) monitors, assesses, and distributes information relating to tides, currents, water levels, and other coastal oceanographic indicators. CO-OPS provides several SOAP APIs that return information on water levels, tides, currents, harmonics, station metadata, and meteorology for locations along the U.S. coast.

Decomp API: Given the mass of a DNA fragment, Decomp can calculate which nucleotide combinations are possible. Problems like this (referred to as mass decomposition problems) often arise in mass spectrometry, where the only information left about DNA, protein, or other sample fragments are their molecular masses.

Decomp is available as a web console or a SOAP API. It can be used to solve mass decomposition problems.

Digital Monitoring Products API: Digital Monitoring Products (DMP) is a provider of security and fire alarm products. They specialize in network solutions for centralized security monitoring in applications of all sizes. DMP offers an API for use by security system dealers and Central Stations. With the API, developers can build systems that allow users to interact with the service through their mobile devices or web applications. Developers can also use the API to custom brand their own applications. Full documentation is not publicly available. The API is available at no charge to dealers who subscribe to the SecureCom cellular service.

Emailvision Campaign Commander API: Emailvision is a provider of SaaS campaign management solutions for email, mobile and social marketing. These services are used to automate work so that users can run and manage their marketing campaigns more effectively.

Campaign Commander is software that lets users perform all aspects of email marketing. Users can view reports and analytics, plan their campaigns, manage portfolios on up to more advanced tasks involving segmentation strategies, triggered marketing, integrated email and social campaigns and much more. Campaign Commander also supports the management and execution of campaigns in 16 different languages.

The API suite allows marketers to re-use existing customer data stored in CRM, ERP, SFA, or other in-house applications within Campaign Commander to send targeted email marketing campaigns to clients. The suite includes a campaign management API, notification messaging API and real-time data synchronization API. Full documentation is not publicly available.

Marqui API: Marqui provides on demand marketing software focused on web content management and email marketing. The software gives users a content management system, a blogging platform, a form builder, subscriber management, email marketing platform and more. The Marqui API lets developers integrate their web sites and applications with the platform. API documentation is not publicly available.

Msgme API: Msgme is a digital messaging and mobile marketing CRM platform. It allows businesses to create interactive dialogues with their customers through the use of SMS, MMS, QR Codes, voice and social channels. The API is a suite of services that give developers access to the full functionality of the platform. Developers can manipulate data across subscription lists, create or delete campaigns, manage subscribers, pull content from feeds, look up account keywords, retrieve voicemails and interact with the messaging system. The API uses HTTP calls and responses are formatted in XML.

National Virtual Observatory API: The National Virtual Observatory (NVO) provides researchers with access to astronomical data from ground- and space-based telescopes worldwide. From NVO's website visitors can discover, retrieve, and analyze astronomical data from an international assortment of archives and data centers.

NVO offers multiple SOAP-based APIs that allow users to access resource metadata in the NVO directory. Several of these APIs are designed for use with the Open Archives Initiative (OAI), which promotes open access to academic data repositories.

NSDL Repository Update Service API: The National Science Digital Library (NSDL) is the national online portal for education and research on learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in the United States. The NSDL provides a XML repository search server tool called the Digital Discovery System (DDS), complete with an API built on top of Apache Lucene.

When a user uses the DDS tool in conjunction with a XML repository, they can use RESTful calls to remotely create, update, and delete collections and items in their repository using the DDS's Repository Update Service web service. Client access to a DDS repository system and, likewise, the API is governed by a list of valid IP's that can be specified in the DDS's Collection Manager interface.

Open EAN/GTIN Database API: The Open EAN/GTIN barcode number database lets users query barcode numbers online and receive information about related products. The database contains EAN/GTIN/UPC/JAN codes and provides detailed information about the products that are tagged with such a barcode number. The API lets users query the database from their own web sites and applications. It uses HTTP calls and responses are formatted in TXT.

Passta API: Passta (Protein annotation by secondary-structure based alignment) helps determine whether a protein sequence is related to a protein with known structure. For a given protein sequence, the program returns a Passta alignment with associated secondary structure element information.

Passta is available as a web console or as a SOAP API.

Roci API: Roci (Reconstruction Of Conserved Intervals) is a tool for reconstructing the ancestral gene orders of phylogenetic trees. Given the branching pattern of a phylogenetic tree and the gene orders of the leaf nodes, it calculates sets of gene orders for the inner nodes. Roci can be used as a web console or as a SOAP API.

Rose API: Rose (Random model of sequence evolution) implements a probabilistic model of the evolution of RNA-, DNA-, or protein-like sequences to help determine their evolutionary order. Data created by Rose is useful for evaluating the methods of multiple sequence alignment computations and for predicting phylogenetic relationships.

Rose is available as a download, a web console, and a SOAP API.

SFpark API: The service provides continuously updated information about locations and pricing of available parking in selected areas of San Francisco. DataSF, the city government's open data initiative, collects and distributes the information to help drivers choose when to drive and when to choose other transportation options. Data is provided by off-street parking providers and by sensors that report status of individual street parking spaces as occupied or vacant.

API methods support submission of search parameters, including location (latitude/longitude and preferred radius), type of parking desired (street or off-street), and whether or not to include rate information. Returned data include the locations of currently available parking, the type, and the applicable rate, if requested.

Tgels API: The service searches across multiple flight booking sites and aggregates (gels) published information about special travel deals. It generates listings of flight options and last-minute airfare deals, with related information on package deals, hotel prices, etc.

API methods support listings of flight options, as well as creating and deleting flight deal packages. Requests specify originating and destination airports, date range, and other parameters. Returned data include matching combinations from multiple airlines.

Tibbr API: Tibbr is a social networking platform designed specifically for the workplace. Tibbr offers a variety of features for workplace content sharing, communication, and project management. Tibbr's features include microblogging, instant messaging, screen sharing, and customizable applications.

The Tibbr API allows developers to access and integrate the data and functionality of Tibbr with other applications. Some example API methods include managing users, retrieving messages, posting messages, and searching subjects.

West Midlands Regional Observatory API: The site acts as a central point where users can access information, data and intelligence about the West Midlands region in the UK. It's stated goal is to offer public agencies, private firms and voluntary and community organizations in the West Midlands improved access to well-​organized information with the aim of improving the quality of strategy formulation, policy making and service provision. The API lets users access the functionality of the site search service. It lets users perform search, configure the service, manage user profiles, logs and the sending of emails. It uses HTTP and SOAP calls and responses are formatted in XML.

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The Amazon announcement post shared the new pricing:

“We continue to innovate on your behalf to drive down storage costs and pass along the resultant savings to you at every possible opportunity,” Amazon’s Jeff Barr wrote.

GigaOm says it’s about getting even more traction:

Many feel the company’s real end-game here is to get more businesses to put more of their data into its ecosystem. Once it’s there it’s a no-brainer for companies to make use of these other Amazon services. The net, net, net here is that Amazon wants everyone to use more of its core services — AWS is the leading high-volume, low-margin provider of these infrastructure services and the company wants it to stay that way.

It may be less about innovation and traction and more just sheer volume. Twilio announced volume pricing for its Twilio SMS API. This, after lowering its regular price twice in two years. Because of the volume usage across its infrastructure, Twilio (a ProgrammableWeb sponsor) was able to take its original three cent price down to two cents and then one cent per SMS message.

Twilio has had the same experience with its Twilio Voice API, which has had public volume pricing for some time. There have also been other price drops for Amazon’s other services in the past. What these price reductions display is that infrastructure-as-a-service companies are scalable businesses and an API doesn’t only have to support a product. The API can be the product.

Sponsored by

The Application Directory has been growing steadily since the launch of the platform. A recent blog post mentioned several applications that range from new ways to record your steps, activities and much more. A couple of recently announced applications include Weighty, an iPhone App allows you to submit your weight and fat percentage to the Health Graph and CleverRun, an app that makes your running activity more interesting by allowing you to predict your next completion time of the run, compare against other runs and much more.

Earlier this year, RunKeeper also released Fitness Reports, a dashboard that consolidates all your data around health and fitness in one place. Via Fitness Reports, you can now track all sorts of activities (running, walking, cycling, etc.), and everything from sleep and strength training to your blood pressure.

With more applications and devices expected to be added to the RunKeeper platform, we believe that RunKeeper is executing good on its strategy on being a platform player rather than just an application. With the proliferation of smart phones and health devices, the platform is only going to grow stronger.

Sponsored by

In terms of the technical details, REST and XML lead the way. There are 75 cloud REST APIs and 13 cloud SOAP APIs. Our directory lists 55 cloud XML APIs and 45 cloud JSON APIs.

The most common tags within cloud are 37 cloud internet APIs, 16 cloud storage APIs and 14 cloud hosting APIs.

On the mashup side, we list 5 cloud mashups. We named InterFAX as mashup of the day in September.

For reference, here is a list of all 97 Cloud APIs.

   Hoptoad API: Application error notification service

   OneLogin API: Single sign-on solution

  Aculab Cloud API: Cloud based telephony services

  Aepona API: Mobile cloud hosting service

  Apple iCloud API: Cloud storage service

  Apstrata API: Client2Cloud application service

  AT&T Synaptic Compute API: Cloud computing services

  AT&T Synaptic Storage API: Cloud storage service

  AWS Identity and Access Management API: User management service for AWS

  Banckle API: Online business collaboration service

  BetterEncoding API: Video encoding software

  Boomi AtomSphere API: Application integration platform

  Boundary API: Real-time cloud environment monitoring service

  Centili API: Mobile payments service

  Cloudability API: Cloud spend management and monitoring service

  CloudCache API: Cache in the cloud

  Cloudkick API: Cloud server monitoring tool

  CloudSigma API: Cloud hosting services

  Database.com API: Cloud Computing Database Service

  Developer Garden Cloud User Management API: Cloud user management service

  DocumentCloud API: Upload and Share Documents

  Doxument API: Cloud based document conversion service

  Dropstr API: Cloud management service

  Dydra API: Cloud-based RDF store

  EdgeCast CDN API: Cloud hosting and storage service

  Elastic Email API: Cloud email delivery service

  ElasticHosts Cloud Computing API: Cloud server hosting service

  Enstratus API: Cloud infrastructure management service

  Exosite API: Cloud storage platform

  Flite Advertising API: Cloud based advertising platform

  Funambol Cloud API: Mobile cloud sync service

  Genband A2 API: Cloud based telecommunications services

  GIS Cloud API: Geospatial data cloud hosting & map creation service

  GoGrid API: Cloud computing and web hosting services

  Google App Engine API: Developer platform

  Google Cloud Print API: Cloud printing service

  Heroku API: Ruby cloud application platform

  Heroku Provider API: Cloud connection service

  Hosting.com VMware vCloud Express API: Online hosting and virtual cloud infrastructure service

  Hub9 CloudSearch API: Cloud hosted search service

  Iron.io IronMQ API: Cloud hosted messaging service

  Isidorey API: Connect devices to the cloud

  itDuzzit API: Cloud application integration service

  Joyent Node API: Cloud computing software

  Kaavo Web Services API: Cloud based application management service

  Kadoo API: Cloud-based video hosting service

  Knowlarity API: Cloud based telephony services

  KooKoo API: Cloud based telephony application platform

  Kynetx API: Event-driven application platform

  LiveTime API: Cloud based ITIL Service Management

  Loggly API: Cloud Based Logging Service

  Mailjet API: Cloud hosted email platform

  MediaCore API: Video community platform

  MessageGears API: Cloud email delivery service

  Mosso Cloud Files API: File storage services

  Mougg API: Music storage and streaming service

  MyRobots API: Cloud robotics service

  NewServers API: Cloud hosting services

  Nimbula API: Cloud Computing Management

  Nodester API: Open Source Node.js Application Hosting

  OpenStack API: Authentication for cloud service

  Pervasive Data Integrator API: Data management and integration service

  PlanMill API: Cloud based business management system

  PubNub JavaScript Push API: High-volume messaging service

  Put.io API: Online storage

  QuickFuse API: Telephony service

  Rackspace Cloud DNS API: Cloud DNS services

  Rackspace Cloud Files API: Cloud file hosting

  Rackspace Cloud Identity API: Cloud services authentication service

  Rackspace Cloud Load Balancers API: Cloud hosting services

  Rackspace Cloud Servers API: Cloud hosting services

  Renderfarm.fi API: Online rendering service

  RightNow Connect API: Customer experience and cloud application service

  Rollbase hosted service API: Platform for software as a service

  SaasGrid API: Web OS application development platform

  Scality API: Private cloud storage service

  Scalr API: Cloud hosting platform

  SCORM Cloud API: SCORM cloud computing service

  Sfax API: Cloud-based secure faxing service

  SimpleWorker API: Cloud based background job scheduler

  SMEStorage Multi Cloud API: Cloud storage service

  StorageRoom API: Cloud based mobile data CMS

  SugarSync API: On demand computer backup and synchronization

  TappIn API: Cloud content sharing service

  TelVue PEG.TV API: Cloud-based streaming video service

  Terremark vCloud Express API: Cloud computing service

  The Buddy Platform API: Cloud-based hosting solutions for application developers

  ThinkGrid API: Cloud services platform

  Tropo API: Communications API for voice, SMS and Instant Messaging

  Twilio API: Telephony service

  Usergrid API: Cloud based data platform

  VISUALPLANT API: Cloud Video Platform

  VPS.NET API: On demand cloud hosting provider

  Windows Azure Service Management API: Cloud service operating system

  Xeround Cloud Database API: Cloud Database Service

  YouSendIt API: File storage/sharing service

  Yubikey API: Cloud-based authentication and validation service

Sponsored by

One of the coolest features of Blekko are custom search terms called slashtags for example “freebsd /news” returns FreeBSD news results from blogs, online magazines and other tech news sources.

The Blekko search API uses RESTful calls and all results are formatted in JSON. Developers are free to integrate the api into web services, toolbars, and mobile applications. A current restriction is a one query per second limit.

http://blekko.com/ws/?q=freebsd+/news+/json+/ps=50&auth=[API Key]

https://blekko.com/api/pagestats?url=http://buildasearch.com&auth=[API Key]

Slashtag API

Log in Via API
https://blekko.com/login?u=[USERNAME]&p=[PASSWORD]&auth=[API Key]

Add to Existing Slashtag
http://blekko.com/tag/add?name=[SLASHTAG]&submit=update&urls=[LIST]&auth=[API Key]

Creating a New Slashtag
http://blekko.com/tag/add?name=[SLASHTAG]&submit=create&urls=[LIST]&auth=[API Key]

Removing URLs From a Slashtag
http://blekko.com/tag/edit?submit=1&type=del&name=[SLASHTAG]&urls=[LIST]&auth=[API Key]

Deleting a Slashtag
http://blekko.com/tag/delete?submit=1&name=[SLASHTAG]&auth=[API Key]

http://blekko.com/api/inbound?auth=[API Key]&to_host=geocities.com
Must register your server IP address with apiauth@blekko.com

Blekko’s Inbound API is meant to display information about inbound links pointing to a given page or site.

To get started using the Blekko API contact apiauth@blekko.com for documentation and an API key.

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Web APIs represent one of the biggest technology trends of recent years, by leveraging the simple technologies of the Web (REST, JSON, HTTP) for application integration. Although Web APIs are quite simple, organizations have realized that if they expose data in this easy way, they enable an array of mobile apps to be written to consume them. Examples of APIs include simple ways to query company stock information from brokerages, to retrieve flight information from airlines, and to retrieve shipping information from freight companies. In each case, it is simply Web technologies which are used. This is a great use of the language of the Web to address an older problem: data integration.

APIs represent such an important technology trend, that new business models can develop on top of them, sometimes called “The API economy”. The API economy encompasses API developers, the businesses providing the APIs, the businesses hosting APIs, and app developers. This growing API economy has resulted in a philosophical switch in the mindset of many organizations that are now making access to internal data available, enabling partners and customers to develop value-added applications on top of this data. As such, many organizations no longer hold information close, but actually are seeking to make it readily available for external developers to write apps. While many organizations are concerned about the risks of freely sharing data and deriving long-term revenues from new API-led business models, the good news is that these concerns are being addressed. In fact, if organizations are not prepared to play in the API economy, they run the greater risk of being left behind.

Sample screenshot from API Management product showing list of potential security policies

APIs thrive on data. Examples include shipping information APIs (shipping data), financial quote APIs (financial data), and geographic APIs (location data). The popular maxim around the API economy notes that if an organization is willing to free its data, the applications will follow. However, at this point, the word “free” does require some clarification. Free should not necessarily be construed as meaning cost free, nor should it mean data is exposed freely, without any controlling parameters relating to usage thresholds or security levels. Whenever an organization makes the leap to expose its data via APIs, it is always advisable to use quotas and alerts that flag instances of over usage or unwarranted data mining. Additionally, it is important to consider the long term implications for pricing strategies. For example, there are various billing models such as the “freemium” approach that up to certain point offers free data usage of APIs, with a cutoff point where users have to pay. Strong governance is also essential as it enables organizations to monitor any suspicious usage of APIs. These measures mean that APIs can be safely deployed, without compromising data.

Screenshot of interface monitoring multiple gateways managing APIs ensuring compliance with SLAs and protection of the APIs

Engine of the API Economy

Let’s take a look at the drivers influencing the growth of the API economy. The initial driver is, of course, the Web. In the past, an “Application Programming Interface” meant developing in C++ or Visual Basic. Now, by leveraging HTTP, APIs have opened up application development to a whole new generation of developers who won’t necessarily have had prior experience of more complex “enterprise” programming languages such as C++. In an API world, developers are provided with simple feeds of data, on top of which they can quite simply write a value-added web application. As a result, there are legions of new developers that an organization can leverage to extend the reach of its offerings, and reduce its reliance on an internal team of employed developers.

The Organization is now the Platform

This new paradigm shift driven by APIs has also impacted at board room level. CEOs now expect their CIOs and CTOs to be able to showcase iPhone and Android app versions of their latest service offerings. However rather than asking “why are we not building iPhone applications,” the CEO should be asking, “why aren’t we allowing others to write iPhone applications on top of our data?” In other words, the goal of the organization should be to become a transparent platform for serving up data to third parties who can develop mobile apps on top of this platform. This means that the business effectively becomes a platform. For example, if a Financial Services company provides APIs enabling any developer to write the application, then it becomes a platform itself.

An API Gateway provides a Governance layer to manage APIs

APIs leverage newer lightweight technologies such as REST, JSON and AJAX, in contrast to the more heavyweight standards characteristic of enterprise software applications. Many of the younger generation of developers simply don’t have the skills to use enterprise technologies such as message queues and ERP. However, these older technologies still exist and are in use. In such circumstances a broker product is used to connect from the API interface back into enterprise systems. A purely Cloud based API is just solving a surface problem as the client connects to an API in the Cloud, but the bigger question is how to connect back to the enterprise and what method do you use?

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The Splitable API allows developers to integrate the features provided by “Checkout with Splitable” into their payment processing procedures. This could make purchasing large ticket items easier and lead to increased revenue.

The Splitable API is one of 99 Payment APIs in our directory.

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