Third-party API Integration: 3rd Party APIs for Android and iOS Apps

What is a Third-party API?

A third-party API is a special program that connects functionalities from different apps. It’s provided by a third party, usually (but not necessarily) large enterprises. They let you offer access to their data or software features on your website or application.

A good example is a ride-hailing app, such as Uber. It integrates a Map functionality from an app like Google Maps to track rides. By implementing a third-party API, Uber saves time on building map functionality from scratch.

Pros and Cons of API Integration

Advantages of Third-party APIs

• Enhanced Functionality
  API integration allows your application to provide the features of external services. So, instead of building every little part yourself, you can borrow some functions.
  For example, integrating with a payment gateway API provides secure transactions within your application.

• Increased Automation
  By integrating APIs, you can automate various processes, reducing the need for manual intervention. This leads to faster and more accurate workflows.
  For instance, you can integrate with an email marketing API to automate your email campaigns.

• Scalability
  APIs allow you to scale your application by connecting to external systems that can handle increased loads. This is particularly useful when your application experiences growth or fluctuating demand. Cloud services APIs, such as AWS or Azure, can help manage scalability effectively.

• Cost Savings
  Using third-party APIs can be more cost-effective than developing similar features in-house. This allows you to allocate resources better and focus on your core business. For example, using a mapping API like Google Maps can save costs and provide great capabilities.

• Improved User Experience
  API integrations can significantly enhance the user experience by providing access to diverse services. For instance, integrating with social media APIs allows users to log in using their social accounts. This simplifies the authentication process and improves user engagement.

Disadvantages of Third-party APIs

• Dependency on External Services
  Relying on third-party APIs means you depend on them in terms of app functionality. Any downtime or performance issues on the API provider’s side can directly affect your application.

• Security Risks
  Integrating external APIs introduces potential security vulnerabilities. Ensuring secure data transmission and handling is critical to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches. It’s essential to implement robust API security measures and stay updated with the API provider’s security practices.

• Complexity in Integration
  API integration can sometimes be complex. It requires a thorough understanding of the API documentation and proper handling of different data formats. Compatibility issues between your application and the API can lead to challenges and additional development time.

• Maintenance Overhead
  Regular maintenance is required to keep the integration functional. This includes:
  • monitoring for API updates
  • handling deprecated endpoints
  • making sure that your integration adapts to changes in the API

Failure to maintain the integration can result in broken functionalities and degraded user experience.

• Potential Costs
  While APIs can offer cost savings, some third-party APIs come with usage fees. This is especially true for higher tiers of access or extensive usage. It’s important to factor in these costs when planning your integration to avoid unexpected expenses.

Weighing these pros and cons carefully will help you make informed decisions about integrating APIs.

3rd Party API List: Top 7 Most Popular Options

This is a list of third-party APIs in common usage both on mobile apps and web apps.

1. Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a popular tool for tracking and collecting information on website visitors. It is useful for digital marketers and SEO experts, and it is often integrated into marketing and CRM solutions.

2. Google Maps

Google Maps is, no doubt, the most popular geolocation API, especially for third-party API in Android devices. It’s used in apps from ride-hailing apps to online games and even retail companies.

3. Facebook Login

Many businesses have apps that require some form of login and want to avoid data duplication. For them, among the most preferred third party integration examples for user authentication is Facebook Login. It is useful for account creation and data sharing. It’s a particularly popular choice for online game developers.

4. YouTube

Most webmasters prefer to embed videos on their sites via YouTube. For one, it helps to easily track numbers and integrate YouTube analytics directly from blog visits. It also reduces the server load on your website since the video remains hosted on YouTube.

5. Stripe and PayPal

APIs from Stripe and PayPal are among the most common tools for integrating payments into web and mobile applications. They also enable businesses to issue invoices, track payments, and maintain secure records.

6. Skyscanner

This is another business tool popular among companies in the travel industry. The Flights API from Skyscanner is useful for:

• getting flight details

• monitoring ticket prices

• managing revenue

7. Screen Time

Recently, Apple made its Screen Time API accessible to third-party developers and apps. One of the immediate obvious benefits of this move was granting users access to better parental controls.

How Does a 3rd Party API Work?

To understand how a 3rd party API works, we must first differentiate it from a first-party API. The latter is designed for internal purposes. The former is an interface that allows you to connect your app to services from other companies.

An API is a reusable communication interface/medium between two apps. It creates shared functionalities and enables regulated data sharing. In the third-party case, the owner develops an app functionality as an API so that other apps can plug into their app features. To achieve this, integration code is made public as well as API integration documentation concerning its implementation.

Key Benefits of Using a Third-party API

Efficiency

Before now, every new app maker had to build all its functionalities from scratch. However, software developers can now take advantage of third-party APIs to access functionalities. Therefore, a 3rd party integration helps to save cost, time, and effort.

Avoid Data-Duplication

Google Sign-in enables several apps to use OAuth authorization credentials to manage user profiles. Without such an authorization API for third-party integration, every user has to create a new profile for every sign-up. More so, every company has to manage multiple data from the same sources.

Less Maintenance

A third-party API is easier to maintain. After all, it is owned, managed, and maintained by the company that develops it. For the third party, it is an easy ‘plug and play’ method. If you use third party APIs from a reliable company, you shouldn’t have any problems. Why? Because maintenance and updates will always take place seamlessly.

What is third party API integration?

It simply means connecting an API from a third-party provider to your own app. The provider continually maintains the API. It creates the connection by means of special developer keys. The process requires the expertise of a skilled mobile developer (for third-party API integration in Android or iOS) or a specialist API integration developer.

Why You May Need a 3rd Party API Integration?

For many startups that don’t yet have the resources to build their own complex functionalities, it can come in handy. APIs from reliable companies can open up your business to possibilities that would have been inaccessible otherwise.

For instance, building a map functionality for an app requires a lot of complex background work. It’s much easier for startups, for example, to use a third-party API in order to access rich data.

Recommended: Backend as a Service

How to Choose the Right One of 3rd Party API Examples for Your Project?

Documentation

Every software product is usually accompanied by some form of documentation for developers. Before choosing a third-party API, make sure it has detailed documentation with clear information.

Features

Developers turn to APIs for the sake of efficiency. Surely, you don’t want to use two different APIs when one is enough. A good third-party API would have specific features that help you to reach your goal.

Support

A third-party API is maintained by the provider. Therefore, you have to use tools with excellent provider support. How responsive is the provider? How frequent are the updates? What’s the maintenance schedule like? These questions require answers.

Reliability

This is information obtained from other users who have tried the API. One that is frequently buggy on other platforms would probably not work well on yours too. Keep in mind that unexpected errors have real impacts on service delivery.

Security

When you use APIs from a third party, you are inevitably sharing data with that provider. Hence, you need a secure provider. Otherwise, without high-level security and data encryption, your data isn’t safe.

Recommended: REST vs SOAP

How to Integrate Third-party API?

Hire an 3rd party API integration developer

Integrating 3rd party APIs can get very tricky quickly for non-developers. Therefore, the best option is to hire developer with specific experience. Of course, if you have none of these on your team, the best option is to use staff augmentation. We at ProCoders happen to provide this service.

Consult the documentation

This is the obligatory first step for integrating third-party APIs into your project. The general procedures for integrating an API might be similar to each other. However, there are specific concerns pertaining to each one.

Get the Developer Key

APIs usually require a special developer key to process connections and secure communication. Again, you can find the exact details of how to access the developer key in the documentation.

Does a 3rd Party API Affect the Final Cost of Your Project?

One of the main benefits is that they help you to optimize resources and time. This, in turn, translates to significant cost savings. Therefore, you can cut down the time from months of development to hours of integration.

How does it affect the final cost of your project? It lowers the cost, and your app can be well-optimized.

Our Experience in Third-party API Integration

Whenever you need to hire web developers and other tech staff – it’s safe to come to ProCoders. We’re proud to be a first-rate software development company serving clients around the globe. One of our key specializations at ProCoders is SaaS product development for startups. ProCoders have been responsible for every stage of software development for various SaaS companies. The stages include:

• research

• UI/UX prototyping

• software development

• API integration for SaaS applications

• and live app maintenance

One of our key capabilities in executing these projects is complex API integration. We have an array of outstanding web and mobile developers. They are responsible for various software projects that carry out REST API integrations

ProCoders provides SaaS companies, as well as businesses in other industries, with smart teams of outstanding tech talents. Our list of clients includes:

• Frontegg

• HANDLE Global

• Roth River

• Quartz Network

• AxisPoint/VSimple

• Dryft, and more.

Conclusion

One of the best things an app developer can implement is a scalable API integration. When it comes from a third party, that’s the best. This is a super-efficient way to extend the functionalities of the app. Why?

You rely on the resources and infrastructure of another company.

However, it is a complex process. It requires the skill of talented developers, especially as it relates to the rest of your IT team. In this regard, IT staff augmentation service is one of the best ways to:

• build teams for such a project

• to scale up an existing team

This is an area where ProCoders have experience. Reach out to ProCoders for your third-party API integration needs!