How to integrate 3rd party API in mobile apps

Let's say that you have recently released your app and now you want to add more features to it, like geolocation, social login, and a list of recipes. Would it be better if your app developer builds all these features from scratch? No! It would be better for your developer to use pre-made APIs from different services.

If you want to find out more about the API for third-party integration, click here. This guide will highlight the most popular APIs for mobile apps and give you an easy step-by-step guide to API integration.

What is the 3rd party API?

When you send a request from your mobile app to a third-party system and receive a result back from that system, you can use the Android service API to act as a waiter, delivering requests to the third-party app and returning responses.

An application programming interface, or API, is a set of tools, protocols, and definitions that allow your app to interact with other apps or connect your app to external services.

We are finding that mobile API integration is being used over developing features from scratch because of the following reasons:

1. Cost benefit

By using the functions of other software products your company is able to build applications faster and at a lower cost.

2. Value for money

By providing app users with advanced features, you can help your app distinguish itself from other apps in the market and attract more users.

3. Convenience

When you use APIs by Facebook for social login, Google Maps API for determining geolocation, or Paypal API for paying for an order, you make your app even more convenient to users and increase their engagement with your app.

What are the main API uses?

1. Using 3rd party features

For instance, apps such as PayPal's Braintree API and our Spotnews app allow users to pay through PayPal while listening to Spotify.

2. Receive information from outside sources

For example, by integrating the New Delhi metro system's API, you can provide your app users with real-time travel data, like the schedule of trains and their arrivals and departures.

3. Access to mobile apps

If you use our API, you can add new features to your application, and get access to other companies' data or mobile device features, without spending a lot of money on developing those features from scratch.

Third-party API examples

Google Maps, Facebook, Netflix, Uber

How to integrate API into mobile apps?

You've heard of API integration, but do you know what it means? Today we will explore the intricacies of API integration.

1. Hire an Integration developer

Hiring a mobile app developer will allow you to integrate an API into your app. A mobile development specialist will use an SDK that includes a bunch of software development tools in one installable package. This will enable the developer to correctly integrate the selected API.

2. Create a project within the API system

Registering in the API provider system will help you access the API and authenticate each call to the endpoint.

3. Get authorization and API keys

When you register, you get an API key to identify your project, so we can use your authorization token to verify that you can make this request.

4. Integrate API

The developer can install the SDK and its APIs into their mobile app development environment using tools like CocoaPods for iOS apps and Maven for Android apps.

5. Use API methods

To make the app use new features integrated via API, the mobile developer must add dependencies. 

Conclusion

By using API to integrate third-party features, you can enrich your app's functionality without the hassle of coding everything yourself. This saves time and money and helps you get to market faster.