This talk expresses my love and intrigue of APIs, demonstrating where I've found platforms and APIs in real life, music and things like wiffleball. I also riff on APIs with my wife (safe for work) and a bonus API-ification of the Delorean. One of my favorite presentations, I've given this talk at GeekyByNature (NYC, 3.31.2011) and at NSWG (Newburyport, 9.29.11). Comments and feedback welcome at @chuckstar or chuckstar.com/blog.

1. APIs in life, music and wiffleball
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

2. What are APIs?
ⱶ Application Programming Interface
ⱶ Coding against a platform
ⱶ Commanding an app, service, platform, device
ⱶ Responding to what the platform does
ⱶ Usually documented
ⱶ Often referred to as ‘part of’ SDK
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

3. APIs and me
ⱶ 13 years coding
ⱶ 6 years building platforms
ⱶ Working on Yahoo Maps in 2005-06
ⱶ Similar experience at Ribbit, Litl
ⱶ Observe how things function around me
ⱶ How to build better platforms
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

4. Unlocking an API
ⱶ Services like maps, twitter
ⱶ Database, images, code
ⱶ Powered web sites
ⱶ Needed to become portable
ⱶ Power apps through API
ⱶ SDK gives developer tools to work with API
ⱶ Documentation
ⱶ Forums
ⱶ Examples
ⱶ IDE (editors)
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

5. Example API
ⱶ Instagram
ⱶ To browse photos
ⱶ Encourage developers
ⱶ Make instagram better
ⱶ Media: Search, Popular, Load by ID
ⱶ Locations, Tags, Relationships
ⱶ Authentication
ⱶ http://instagram.com/developer/
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

6. APIs that command
ⱶ Methods
ⱶ Simple way to tell you what to do
ⱶ In life... the way a traffic light signals us
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

7. APIs that command
ⱶ The traffic light
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

8. APIs that command
ⱶ The traffic light
ⱶ Driving
ⱶ Go(), SlowDown(), Stop()
ⱶ Walking
ⱶ Walk(), DoNotWalk()
ⱶ Timer Event
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

9. APIs with control
ⱶ Methods with Paremeters
ⱶ Tell you what to do with definition
ⱶ In life... controlling a wiffleball
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

10. APIs with control
ⱶ The wiffleball
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

11. APIs with control
ⱶ The wiffleball
ⱶ Not just Instructions
ⱶ Throw()
ⱶ Ball.Orientation
ⱶ Speed
ⱶ Angle
ⱶ Grip
ⱶ Wind
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

12. APIs with control
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

13. APIs & properties
ⱶ Classes group similar functionality
ⱶ Inherent values in things
ⱶ Follow a pattern
ⱶ In life... a basketball team
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

14. APIs & properties
ⱶ A basketball team
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

15. APIs & properties
ⱶ A basketball team
ⱶ Players [Array]
ⱶ Height
ⱶ Speed
ⱶ Shooting
ⱶ Position
ⱶ Defense
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

16. APIs & properties
ⱶ A basketball team
ⱶ Strategy.execute()
ⱶ Player[1].goToAnd…
ⱶ x,y
ⱶ SetPick()
ⱶ Pass()
ⱶ Fake()
ⱶ Shoot()
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

17. APIs with craft
ⱶ Changing method sequence
ⱶ Customizing user experience
ⱶ In life... playing an instrument
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

18. APIs with craft
ⱶ The piano
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

19. APIs with craft
ⱶ The piano
ⱶ Piano.keyEventListener..
ⱶ KeyID
ⱶ playNote()
ⱶ The human
ⱶ Ear.musicListener..
ⱶ hearNotes()
ⱶ recognizeChord()
ⱶ enjoyHarmony()
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

20. APIs with craft
ⱶ The piano
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

21. APIs with craft
ⱶ The piano
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

22. APIs with response
ⱶ Commands result in commanded response
ⱶ App is listening, in session with service
ⱶ A service prompts UI with events
ⱶ text message
ⱶ new Facebook message
ⱶ contact logged into Skype
ⱶ In life... knowing you’re hungry
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

23. APIs with response
ⱶ Knowing you’re hungry
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

24. APIs with response
ⱶ Knowing you’re hungry
ⱶ Neurotransmitter called Neuropeptide Y (NPY) sends
messages to the brain.
ⱶ Low levels of glycogen and low blood sugar levels
stimulate a spike in ghrelin.
ⱶ When ghrelin rises, so does appetite.
ⱶ After eating, leptin levels increase and inhibit the
firing of NPY, so you feel full.
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

25. APIs with response
ⱶ Knowing you’re hungry
ⱶ stomach to brain, “I’m full”
ⱶ brain to stomach, “start digesting”
ⱶ stomach to brain, “I’m still hungry”
ⱶ brain to you, “eat more”
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

26. APIs with behavior
ⱶ Me and my wife
ⱶ doDishes()
ⱶ pickupClothes()
ⱶ closeToiletSeat()
ⱶ setTable()
ⱶ changeDiaper()
ⱶ Modifers
ⱶ “Please”
ⱶ “YourTurn”
ⱶ Returns?
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

27. APIs with behavior
ⱶ To each other
ⱶ What sets you off?
ⱶ What makes you tick?
ⱶ What pushes your buttons?
ⱶ What rubs you the wrong/right way?
ⱶ What do you best respond to?
ⱶ How does one figure you out?
ⱶ What appeals to your senses?
ⱶ What attracts you?
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

28. APIs of Delorean Time Machines
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

29. APIs of Delorean Time Machines
ⱶ TimeCircuits.Status(“on”);
ⱶ SubmitDate(destinationDate);
ⱶ While (FluxCapacitor.isFluxing && Car.Moving) {
ⱶ If (Car.speed == 88 && Chamber.Plutinium == “full”) {
ⱶ TimeSpaceContinuum(TimeCircuits.toDate);
ⱶ }
ⱶ }
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

30. Takeaways
ⱶ Observe the way we work with things
ⱶ Observe the way we respond to each other
ⱶ Design better interfaces
ⱶ Build better apps
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar

31. Thank you!
ⱶ Questions?
ⱶ Ideas?
ⱶ chuckstar.com/blog
ⱶ @chuckstar
Chuck Freedman | @chuckstar