What is the Value of APIs in IoT Networks?
Today, application programming interfaces (APIs) are widely used across the internet to connect two software components using a defined set of protocols. Unlike a user interface, which allows a person to communicate with a computer, APIs are meant to be a means of communication for technology, which makes them invaluable to the Internet of things (IoT). Without APIs in IoT, companies would be limited in how they use Internet applications to easily access, share, and respond to data from large numbers of sensors and devices.
While the value of APIs in IoT is apparent, not every API is the same. In fact, there are several different types of APIs, including Remote Procedure Calls (RPCs), Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) APIs, WebSocket APIs, and Representational State Transfer (REST) APIs. The type of API being used in an IoT network will impact how effectively your company can access and share IoT data.
How APIs Are Utilized in IoT
To understand how APIs are applied in IoT, it’s important to first understand how APIs work in general. API architecture is usually explained in terms of client and server. The application sending the request is called the client, and the application sending the response is referred to as the server. Depending on when and why an API was created, the structure of client and server communication will work in one of four ways.
RPCs APIs: RPCs, or Remote Procedure Calls, allow a client to complete a function on a remote server, with the server sending the function’s output back to the client. While RPCs are not usually referred to as APIs, the concept is effectively the same.
SOAP APIs: These enable simple client-and-server exchange messages. While they do build a communication bridge between a client and server, these APIs only support XML-based data transfer, which can limit their efficiency.
WebSocket APIs: This type of API leverages a WebSocket over a single TCP connection to facilitate bidirectional communication between the client and server. WebSockets rely on state, and are best suited for scenarios requiring low overhead, or when the client and server need a direct path to each other. It’s no coincidence that WebSockets are commonly used in chatroom applications, where the open connection allows conversation to flow between each client and the server.
REST APIs: REST APIs allow a client to send requests to a server as data which the server may store in the cloud or respond to with a specific action. This could take on many shapes, including relaying that data to a different client application, or sending a response to the original client. Unlike WebSocket APIs, REST APIs are stateless, and use a new TCP connection for each HTTP request. Because they are stateless, the client does not need to know the state of the server (and vice versa), making REST APIs ideal for scenarios with large numbers of clients. And because REST APIs use HTTP, they tend to be supported in tools where WebSockets are not.
REST defines a set of functions like GET, POST, DELETE, etc. that clients use to access server data. For instance, if you want to retrieve information from a particular IoT device, the client app will issue a GET method to a URL. The URL will then automatically report the information for the device.
Because REST APIs are best suited for large numbers of clients, and most developers are familiar with how to use them, REST APIs are becoming an increasingly popular choice for growing companies reaping the benefits of IoT.
Benefits of APIs in IoT
For the regular consumer using a smart speaker or other type of IoT device, how an API is being used is likely something they’ll never need to concern themselves with, but for companies working to implement IoT-based solutions, APIs are an incredible tool. They allow them to effectively utilize pre-existing functions and integrate entire networks of IoT components with each other. When an IoT provider fails to provide an API for their customers, they significantly limit how their customers can use their own data. With an API though, customers enjoy a range of benefits:
Reduced Development Time
APIs are useful in simplifying the complexities found in IoT systems. These systems are often incredibly complex, requiring continual contact between multiple components; APIs allow developers to streamline these processes by reducing the amount of code they need to write, which in turn reduces development time. Since they’ve been around in some form or fashion for decades, most developers are familiar with how APIs work, so implementation is normally straightforward. The companies who offer the API will also provide all of the infrastructure, documentation, and support that allows the API to be used.
Compatibility With Many Different IoT Devices & Software
As long as an IoT device has Internet connectivity, an API will allow it to use HTTPS to send data or receive commands regardless of device type or manufacturer. Whether it is an Apple laptop, Raspberry Pi, Arduino, or a proprietary device, connected hardware will be able to use the same API endpoints, giving you flexibility in the equipment you choose to utilize.
This can be advantageous in the post-COVID supply chain climate. If you’re unable to purchase replacement parts from the manufacturer you bought from in the past, for instance, you’ll easily be able to pivot to a different company for the equipment you need and simply change the firmware and software to use the same API. Data transfers will continue to occur the same as they always have.
In addition to having the freedom to choose your hardware, APIs also allow you to choose the software and apps you want to use in tandem with your devices. Software developers all have their favorite tools and languages, but just about any tool out there will support HTTPS. As long as you’re working with an API, you can select your tools of choice and be confident you can use them to communicate with an API to read and control IoT devices.
Allows Devices to Authenticate to the Cloud
To understand how IoT devices can authenticate to the cloud, you need to be familiar with OAuth. This access delegation framework is commonly used to grant users on websites or applications access to their information on other websites without giving them the passwords. This follows the security approach known as Zero Trust in which companies by default trust no user or application and thereby limit their access based on context such as user identity or location.
In the IoT industry, it’s important to think of the “things” in the same way we think about users. In other words, follow the maxim, “never trust, always verify”, and control how much of your system your devices have access to. That’s where OAuth comes in, allowing developers secure access to your devices’ data without revealing their passwords.
Ability to Work With Large Numbers of Devices
With the right cloud infrastructure in place, an API can make it very easy to send commands to a very large number of devices. This helps you exert a much greater degree of control over your IoT system.
Imagine a scenario in which you have to manage a large number of devices monitoring equipment at a power plant or water sanitation and distribution facility. If an emergency occurs calling for all of the system to be immediately shut down, having the use of an API benefits you significantly. You simply log into a mobile app, and with the right API endpoint, the cloud service authenticates you and recognizes that you are permitted to control those devices. Then with just the tap of a button, you can shut everything down. This process would take a fraction of the time it would take to manually shut down equipment, not to mention that faster response times reduce the risk of damages and the extra costs that come with them.
Collate Your Data With Third Party Data
When it comes to sharing data back and forth, APIs in IoT are an invaluable asset. At the application level, APIs can help you access data from one system and share that data with an entirely different system. This is especially useful when you have multiple disparate datasets and want to gather them together and analyze them alongside one another. For instance, say you already have a system in place that measures wind direction and speed, and now you want to install IoT sensors to measure air quality. To view both datasets together, harness the power of an API to read data from each system and then correlate them by timestamp. This allows you to easily view wind conditions and air quality together in the same application.
Deploy an IoT System With No Limitations
EDG is no stranger to handling IoT data. First, we created a complete field-to-cloud system for monitoring distributed sensors around the world. Now, with the release of our API, we’re taking IoT platform management another step forward. EDG’s API packs all that functionality into an interface that our customers can use to access and share IoT data, regardless of the devices deployed. Not only can our customers unify data from multiple sensors and manufacturers, but by utilizing our API you can make data accessible to anyone, anywhere—including on mobile or web apps.
Part of the nature of EDG’s platform is versatility, making it the ideal solution for replacing your existing architecture. For businesses, we provide a dependable, scalable solution as your network of devices grows. For developers, our REST API is easy to use, and we even provide Python example code to get you started. Our API is also compatible with any piece of hardware with an Internet connection, so there’s no need to purchase our gateways to start using it.
If the success of your business relies on easily accessing and sharing IoT data, you need a platform built to handle all the heavy lifting. EDG’s API gives you the keys to the proverbial IoT kingdom. To learn more about our solution, contact EDG for more information!