🚀 Day 87 of #100DaysOfCode in Python: Navigating the World of APIs

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Welcome to Day 87! Today, we’re diving into the powerful world of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) in Python. APIs are the backbone of modern software development, allowing applications to communicate with each other, share data, and extend functionalities.

1. What is an API?

• API (Application Programming Interface): A set of rules and protocols that allows one piece of software or hardware to interact with another. They play a crucial role in enabling integrated digital experiences.

2. Using External APIs

• Consuming APIs: Python makes it easy to consume APIs and interact with external services.
• Requests Library: The requests library is a simple HTTP library used to send all kinds of HTTP requests.

import requests

response = requests.get('https://api.example.com/data')
data = response.json()
print(data)

• Authentication: Many APIs require authentication. This can often be handled via API keys, OAuth tokens, or HTTP Basic Authentication.

3. Creating Your Own APIs

• Flask: A lightweight WSGI web application framework that’s great for creating simple APIs in Python.