API Connector: exchange your business data in real time
You want to exchange your business documents in real time with your customers, suppliers and partners? Artéva implements an API connector to connect all the information systems and digital platforms involved in your B2B exchange project.
An API: what is it?
The acronym API stands for “Application Programme Interface”. As the name suggests, it is an interface that allows two software, information systems or applications to communicate via the Internet. Exchanges are in real time and automated
01
An interface role
APIs allow to facilitate access to the services of an application without having to develop a very complex program.
They act as interfaces through which queries and data pass.
02
Modern, low cost
This makes the API an effective, low-cost solution that is in keeping with the times. Indeed, production and integration costs are particularly interesting. APIs are quickly implemented, because they are relatively easy to program.
Your API project with Artéva
Collaborative digital platforms are increasingly popular among companies that want to exchange data in real time and communicate across borders. With the advent of these platforms, APIs (Application Programming Interface) have developed. They are the main exchange protocol used to connect platforms. Nowadays, we talk about “plateformisation” of exchanges: we are witnessing a strong expansion of the connectivity domains and web services.
Artéva is fully in line with this trend by offering you to take charge of your API project through Orchestrade®, a digital B2B platform that we have developed to meet your digital business needs.
How does an API connector work?
The API allows for the use of a program without having to look at the complex operation that an application can have. APIs can be used to obtain invoice data without knowing the software that created it. They are now found in operating systems, SaaS applications, software, CRM or ERP (including SAP for example), databases, graphics, open data…
The design of an API is generally based on web standards in order to be able to use the internet for remote interaction, and therefore usually on a different computer than the one that makes the request.
Client case
API connector for our industrial partners
Some of our industry customers need to be connected in real time to e-commerce platforms, such as Amazon, Cdiscount or Zalando… These marketplaces owe their success to the referencing of a large number of suppliers, which is made possible by the provision of standard API connectors.
The Orchestrade® platform allows our clients to communicate in a uniform way with all these APIs and to handle all exchange scenarios with marketplaces: flows, warehouses (stocks, expected receipt, movements…), order processing, invoicing.
The differences between EDI & API: our vision
We can think of APIs as a modern version of EDI. It is not the same technology and the expected benefits, but some projects can indeed go through API rather than traditional EDI. So what are the differences between these two exchange protocols?
EDI solution in SaaS mode
- 1 | One-way communication
- 2 | Batch communication (=lot) asynchronous
- 3 | Relatively long deployment times
- 4 | High integration cost
API connector
- 1 | Two-way communication (interactive)
- 2 | Synchronous communication through real-time data transfer and processing via the internet connection
- 3 | Fast installation
- 4 | Fairly low integration costs
Trade document exchange and API:
Entrust us with your project
We take into account the business processes that are specific to your company to offer you the API solution that corresponds to your real needs.
Depending on the types of connection expected by your partner platforms and your information system, we set up API connectors for your real-time business data exchanges.
You want to exchange with all your partners today, whether or not they have an information system, via APIs? Tell us about your project.
API Connector:
everything you need to know
Through this FAQ, explore all the essential questions that will guide you through the world of API connectors.
APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) allow applications to exchange data and are classified into several categories according to their architecture and communication mode. SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) APIs use XML format to structure and secure information exchanges. This protocol guarantees strong security and strict transaction management, which makes it particularly suitable for financial services and public administrations. Thanks to its strict and standardized framework, SOAP is often preferred in environments where reliability and data integrity are essential. REST (Representational State Transfer) APIs are more flexible and lightweight than SOAP. They are based on defined architectural principles, such as a client-server architecture, a stateless server and the use of HTTP verbs such as GET, POST, PUT and DELETE. REST is today the most widely used standard for web and mobile APIs, because it facilitates integration and allows for faster and more efficient development. GraphQL APIs, developed by Facebook, offer an alternative to REST by allowing clients to request only the data they need. Unlike REST, where each resource has a specific endpoint, GraphQL centralizes requests on a single entry point, which reduces network overhead and optimizes data consumption. This approach is particularly useful for applications requiring great flexibility in querying data. gRPC (Google Remote Procedure Call) APIs are designed for ultra-fast communications between services. Based on Protocol Buffers (Protobuf), they allow faster and lighter data transmission than REST or SOAP. gRPC is particularly used for microservice architectures and applications requiring real-time exchanges, where latency must be minimal.
An API (Application Programming Interface) is an interface that allows two applications to communicate with each other by defining a set of data exchange rules. It can operate locally or over a network and can use different protocols such as HTTP, RPC or even language-specific libraries. A webservice, on the other hand, is a special type of API that allows the exchange of data between two systems over a network, usually on the Internet. It often relies on protocols such as SOAP or REST, mainly using HTTP for the transmission of information. Thus, all webservices are APIs, but not all APIs are webservices. An API can be used without a network connection, while a webservice necessarily requires communication between a client and a server.
Schedule your appointment
Request your demo
personalized
Discover how the Artéva experts can support you: from integration to solution management, with a personalized service.
Références
