Are you an aspiring web developer looking to implement your first API, or a seasoned professional looking to add another API to your toolkit? Regardless of your motivation, learning to integrate APIs effectively will improve your skills as a developer, save you from writing tons of code from scratch and let you focus on the unique requirements of your applications. No matter your level of experience, online courses are an accessible and convenient method to pick up these in-demand skills. In the following article, we have curated seven excellent online API courses from 2022. We will cover both free and paid courses that span all experience levels.
In August 2022, we released a collection of 30+ new API courses that teach specific APIs for projects in Python. Each API you can learn from this series contributes to building coherent and functional applications that span financial, social, and machine learning projects, just to name a few. These courses offer a direct path to learning the exact API and project you're after while providing resources to explore further and connect with other APIs. We'll get you started by giving an overview of some of our favorite courses from this new collection!
First, we will briefly recap what an API is, and why it is so vital in web development, as well as review the attributes that make up quality online courses. Then, we'll dive into our seven API courses with a discussion of their prerequisites, use cases, and expected outcomes.
Let's get started!
We'll cover:
- What are APIs?
- What makes a good API online course?
- 1. Integration With YouTube Data API in Python
- 2. Getting Financial Data Using YH Finance API in Python
- 3. Getting Started with the Reddit APIs in Python
- 4. Managing Your Codebase with the GitHub API in Python
- 5. Integrating Microsoft Computer Vision API with Python
- 6. Tracking Forecasts with the AccuWeather APIs in Python
- 7. Handling Financial Services with Square API in Python
- How to continue learning about APIs
What are APIs?
For web developers of all skill levels, APIs are the best way to add new and complex features to a web application. Application Programming Interfaces act as the mediator between two independent systems or software components. The first system or application, called the API client, sends a request using a method, a URL, and parameters that specify the type of request and data it requires. The second system or application, called the API server, then processes this data and sends back appropriate information in the form of a response. Therefore, the API enables communication between two software components or applications.
A non-technical equivalent of an API's role is visible in the intermediary position of a teaching assistant in a college classroom. The teaching assistant is the bridge between the students and the professor. Professors have the knowledge and materials that the students desire, and it is up to the teaching assistant to facilitate the transfer of information from one to the other. When students send requests, the teaching assistant handles the responses.
Read more here about different types of APIs and their benefits!
In short, APIs perform a number of important mediating functions. These functions include automating tasks, adding security features, extending an application's production to third-party applications, streamlining production, and much more. A popular example of a well-known API feature is the "login with Facebook" pop-up when you're logging into a new service. When you authorize a login to the new website using your Facebook account, the website uses the Facebook API to request your identification information from Facebook's servers. By enabling this exchange, the API extends the reach of users' accounts outside of the canonical server.
What makes a good API online course?
Whether or not a course comes from Educative, it is important to recognize the attributes of a successful online course. While videos can be helpful in some situations, a text-based curriculum enables faster transmission of information via reading rather than listening. It's also helpful to have concrete words to refer back to and review as your learning progresses.
Hands-on practice is also vital for all learners, particularly those who are embarking on a coding journey. With no additional software required, our courses provide an interactive environment to practice the coding concepts discussed directly in the lesson.
As is the case with any reputable alternative learning resource, it is key that whatever resource you choose offers a mode of certification. Aspiring developers can learn everything they need outside of the university system, but the advantage university students hold lies in the documentation they receive from an accredited institution after graduation that vouches for their knowledge. Whether it be online courses, independent projects, or participating in a bootcamp, make sure there are options for how to prove that you've completed and learned from these resources.
Now that we've reviewed what constitutes a successful course, let's take a look at our list of seven API courses for 2022, and see if any pique your interest!
1. Integration With YouTube Data API in Python
In this course, you'll learn all about how to add YouTube functionality to your application or website with the YouTube Data API. This API allows read and write permissions to YouTube’s content, through which users can perform both authenticated and unauthenticated requests to Google Data feeds to retrieve feeds of popular videos, comments, playlists, favorites, and so on.
This integration is ideal for the data enthusiast who can't wait to explore all the trends from the massive haul of data YouTube is constantly churning out.
For example, if you are working on an application that pinpoints the most popular sport in each country, it would definitely help your data visualizations to know how many people in America are searching for basketball content on YouTube.
Prerequisites:
Working knowledge and experience with Python and subsequent Python web frameworks.
Use Cases:
- Developers looking to create apps that can interact with YouTube
- Individuals or teams who would benefit from YouTube video and channel statistics for data analysis purposes
- Experienced professionals who want to learn a new data API and explore the wealth of data YouTube collects
Outcomes:
Become familiar with YouTube's data resources and their parameters
Gain hands-on experience with how to integrate a Django application using the YouTube Data API
Learn to retrieve and embed channel, playlist, and video data within web applications
2. Getting Financial Data Using YH Finance API in Python
Whether you're passionate about understanding the state of our global economy or just trying to stay ahead in a turbulent market, the YH Finance API could be the right API to help you achieve your goals. The YH Finance API can be integrated with your website or server to retrieve valuable market data to use in a multitude of applications.
The YH finance API is a low-latency API that can help us get financial market data. It provides real-time and historical data so that the user knows the current situation of financial security and its past trends. You can integrate this API into web applications to help users find and analyze the financial data that they're after.
Prerequisites:
- API fundamentals
- The use of the
GETrequest - The basics of Python language
- Stock market terminologies
Use cases:
This API is used in the business and finance sectors to enhance the user experience by facilitating direct access to financial data and smooth data sharing between parties.
Outcomes:
- Familiarity with the YH Finance API
- Learn to retrieve securities data using the YH Finance API in Python
- Integrate the YH Finance API into your applications
3. Getting Started with the Reddit APIs in Python
Reddit is a social media platform that hosts millions of people across hundreds of thousands of virtual communities. If you're starting an application or working on an existing service, it will benefit you to capitalize on the existing wealth of conversations that exist in millions of subreddits daily. Integrating Reddit's API can allow you to join the conversation! Keeping track of and contributing to the communities that support your application goes a long way for the user experience.
While using the API directly is possible, Reddit also provides different wrappers with different languages for easier API use. PRAW is one such wrapper in Python that can be imported like any other Python module. In this course, you'll learn how to use the API directly before diving into how to use different wrappers.
Prerequisites:
A basic understanding of Python and its Requests and Flask libraries is required before you can embark on this course.
Use cases:
Create, manage, and comment/post to different subreddits using the API directly and PRAW. Access to one of the largest, oldest, and most well-regarded social media forums keeps you in tune with your user base. Data collected from comments, upvotes, and posts from different subreddits can also indicate broad sentiments about trending topics, or how certain audiences feel about a specific topic.
Outcomes:
- Learn to use Reddit's API
- Learn to use Python Reddit API Wrapper
- Learn to integrate the Reddit API in a Django application
- Learn to create and manage subreddits using the Reddit API and the Python Reddit API Wrapper
- Learn to cast votes and make comments on posts using the Reddit API and the Python Reddit API Wrapper
4. Managing Your Codebase with the GitHub API in Python
GitHub has positioned itself as one of the most popular code management platforms for software developers. The API that helps us interact with the features of GitHub is called the GitHub REST API. REST stands for Representational State Transfer and is a standard architecture to share information across the internet.
This course will walk you through multiple GitHub APIs and their endpoints. You’ll become familiar with the authentication and integration with a GitHub account to use the APIs to seamlessly manage your code (and effortlessly expand on it).
Prerequisites:
Before taking this course, it is suggested that you have a beginner-level understanding of APIs, Python, GitHub, and Django.
Use cases:
- New developers who want to explore GitHub’s API
- Professionals who want to manage the processes from creating repositories to merging the content for the final release
Outcomes:
- Develop a deep understanding of the GitHub REST APIs
- Get a working knowledge of GitHub’s repository architecture and branches
- Learn to make commits and pull requests using GitHub APIs
- Learn to search, deploy, and release code on GitHub using the API
- Get hands-on experience with integrating the GitHub API into a Django application
5. Integrating Microsoft Computer Vision API with Python
In this course, you will learn how to integrate the Microsoft Computer Vision API. This API provides multiple functions, such as extracting text from images, describing the image in simple, human language, and adjusting the contents of an image. Specifically, you will dive into Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and image analysis, effectively giving you the toolset to analyze any image you want.
Microsoft Cognitive Services provides a cloud-based API for computer vision called Microsoft Computer Vision API. This API gives access to advanced algorithms for image processing and returning information. The API contains multiple other functionalities, such as extracting text from images, describing an image in human-understandable words, moderating the content of an image, and much more.
Prerequisites:
No prior knowledge of computer vision, machine learning, or deep learning is necessary to complete this course. Alternatively, you can just simply upload an image, video, or a URL to be analyzed by the algorithm according to the inputs and user choices. The only prior knowledge required is familiarity with the Python programming language.
Use cases:
- Optical Character Recognition (OCR): This feature helps extract handwritten and printed text from inputs like images and documents. These inputs can have multiple writing styles and languages.
- Image analysis: This feature helps extract various kinds of visual information from images. It can be used for several purposes, such as detecting elements like human faces and brand logos or checking whether an image contains inappropriate content. It can categorize objects into more than 10,000 categories and help generate value from a visual asset.
Outcomes:
- Get familiarized with the Microsoft Computer Vision API and its endpoints.
- Get a working knowledge of the essential machine learning functions of the Microsoft Computer Vision API
- Learn to analyze images and select key features using Microsoft Computer Vision API
- Get hands-on experience integrating the Microsoft Computer Vision API in a functioning Python application with Django
6. Tracking Forecasts with the AccuWeather APIs in Python
AccuWeather APIs provide valuable insights to users. They allow them to enhance safety and minimize risks and losses by enabling a better understanding of the weather and its possible impacts. These APIs provide accurate weather data for the entire globe using atmospheric and location data.
This course will introduce you to AccuWeather APIs and their integration. You’ll learn how to use the Forecasts API to look at upcoming weather patterns and the Current Conditions API to get real-time weather information.
Prerequisites:
A basic understanding of both Python and the web framework Django is required before you'll be able to complete the course properly.
Use cases:
Developers who are interested in developing weather applications.
Users who wish to integrate weather APIs into pre-existing applications.
Outcomes:
- Learn about AccuWeather APIs, their usage, and their structures
- Learn to generate real-time weather data and predictions using the Forecasts API
- Learn how to get the current and historical weather data for specific locations
- Learn how to get the index data for different indices by location using the Indices API
- Get hands-on experience integrating AccuWeather APIs in a functioning Python application using Django
7. Handling Financial Services with Square API in Python
Square offers digital payments and financial services to its customers. New and experienced developers can learn to integrate Square APIs to help businesses of almost all types and sizes grow. It's hard for a business to grow if there is no system for collecting payments and handling customers' money.
In this course, you'll explore the Square API and the different endpoints it provides, such as payments, refunds, orders, and invoices. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to integrate Square APIs into your business to manage orders and payments. You will also be able to integrate Square API to assist with your application's financial needs.
Prerequisites:
Basic knowledge of APIs and Python is required in order to complete this course.
Use cases:
Beginners who wish to learn to accept payments safely and securely
Intermediate learners with experience using payment-processing APIs who are curious about using the Square API
Professionals looking to integrate Square API into their next projects
Outcomes:
- Get familiarized with various Square APIs for business operations
- Get a working knowledge of order creation and retrieval mechanisms using Square API
- Learn how to generate and update invoices attached to order records using Square API
- Learn how to make, record, and refund payments using Square API
- Get hands-on experience integrating Square business and payment functions into a Django application using Square APIs
- Learn how to integrate Square API with an e-commerce application
How to continue learning about APIs
There are many more APIs and functions to explore than just the seven highlighted in our list. As mentioned before, Educative hosts a plethora of API courses that benefit all levels of developers with a great variety of tasks. In this list, we've discussed a handful of popular APIs and their features, but there are many more to cover! If you're particularly interested in social APIs or financial APIs, for example, then feel free to continue exploring Educative's list of courses.
Don't just stop at one API if you're intrigued by social APIs. Learn all you can to develop a diverse API skillset! Educative's 30+ new API courses (including the entries in our list above) are excellent starting points for specific APIs. Feel free to also check out our Become an API Integrator learning path to continue fine-tuning your overall API knowledge and skills. APIs are not likely to diminish in importance anytime soon, giving you plenty of time to explore our vast collection of API courses and paths as deeply as your heart desires!
Happy learning!
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