What is API of eCommerce Platform and How to Connect With It?
Tags: api, programming
Published: 2022-08-30 13:44:12

By establishing reliable connections with the APIs of eCommerce platforms, software providers and developers can ensure their products' success in the market.

For modern software and app developers, it is important to understand what APIs are, how they work and how to use them effectively.

To allow various systems to communicate, APIs are essential in digital worlds that connect solutions with third-party software and programs. If you operate in the eCommerce market, connecting your solution to eCommerce platforms' APIs is advisable.

In this article, we will explore the advantages of working with leading eCommerce platforms' Application Programming Interfaces. We'll explain how API works, and show the most common ways for you to integrate with your clients' data and their platforms.

## What is the Meaning of API?

If you have worked in the eCommerce industry for some time, you may already be familiar with the acronym API. API stands for [application programming interface](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/API) and serves as a middleman between two software products trying to communicate with each other.

When a program needs to access data or functionality from another program, it calls the other program's API, passing along the requirements of what data or functionality it needs. The API returns the data or functionality requested by the original app.

![api](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/f1em6js7vcsacgqxq0ud.jpg)

As a provider or developer of eCommerce software and apps, you can best understand the [possibilities of API](https://api2cart.com/api-technology/connect-two-apis-together/?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=connecttwoapistogether) by considering the process of gaining access to your customers’ data. In general, to offer your services to online store owners, you need to work with information regarding their site visitors and on-site products. To access that information, you can use an API.

SOAP and REST are two types of API. SOAP uses XML to define message structure and communication methods, while REST relies on the specific characteristics of the HTTP protocol to transfer information smoothly.

## API of eCommerce Platform 

Each online marketplace or shopping platform has its own API. For example, Amazon's API enables exchanging data programmatically on orders, payments, listings, and reports. The other example is [API of Magento](https://devdocs.magento.com/guides/v2.4/rest/bk-rest.html) which allows providing calls for working with resources such as categories, customers, or orders.

The API infrastructure is based on requests and responses. The method used to send a request can be one of the following: PUT, GET, POST, or DELETE. The response to a request is usually sent back in either XML or JSON format.

For instance, the PUT method can be used to change an existing resource or update it. The GET method retrieves an existing resource. POST is used to create a new resource. And DELETE removes an existing resource.

Four methods can be used to interact with data, including order information and all the related details, products, information about shipping and warehouse stocks, or even taxes or even customer’s sensitive info.

## eCommerce Platforms’ APIs Examples

Each API of an eCommerce platform has its own unique features. Here is a list of some examples:

eBay's APIs let you access the core capabilities that are used together with selling, buying, or searching actions. The latest versions of eBay's APIs use modern standards for authentication, JSON payloads, RESTful principles.

Magento API enables developers to manage Magento e-stores by working with various resources. This platform supports both REST and SOAP APIs. The Magento REST API provides functions that can be used to perform HTTP requests, using the GET, PUT, POST, or DELETE methods, to manage Magento data.

WooCommerce REST API enables developers to read, update, create, and delete WooCommerce data from the database. The API can be used to read information about orders, products, prices, customers, and shipping statuses.

Shopify API is a set of tools that allows software providers to get access to the data from Shopify online stores and use it for their specific purposes. The API supports JSON and XML formats, along with HTTP requests like GET, POST, PUT and DELETE.

Squarespace APIs enable third-party developers to access stock information, get order history, manage products, and access financial data for orders.

## How to Set Up the Integration with Any eCommerce Platform API

[Developers can use APIs](https://api2cart.com/api-technology/api-of-ecommerce-platform/) to integrate their software with a variety of eCommerce platforms, but it takes time and expertise to develop strong and reliable connections. API2Cart simplifies the process by providing all the necessary tools for creating these connections in just a few clicks.

API2Cart provides a [unified API](https://api2cart.com/?utm_source=dev.to&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=apiecommerceplatformn.kov) for connecting eCommerce software to 40+ shopping platforms simultaneously. Available connections include WooCommerce, Amazon, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Ecwid, Magento, Shopify, Squarespace, etc.

API2Cart has more than 100 API methods. These methods help you easily get, add, update, and delete data from eCommerce platforms. The data include products, orders, prices, shipping information, and customers' details.

API2Cart reduces TCO, minimizes financial investment, and reduces your time spent on integration maintenance. To try API2Cart for free for 30 days, go here: https://app.api2cart.com/#register.