The Evolution of APIs: From RPC to SOAP and XML

The Evolution of APIs: From RPC to SOAP and XML

To work and live in today's digital world, we are unquestionably dependent on interconnected applications. These applications might be massive and highly complex, but they're also constructed from reusable building blocks, which we call an Application Programming Interface—the API.

API adoption is on the rise across all industries. However, APIs aren't new. They came about from the natural evolution of writing computer software. Understanding the origin and evolution of APIs is foundational to your ability to thrive as a software architect, application developer, or IT decision-maker.

In this eBook, we'll trace the evolution of APIs from early computing up through the early stages of the internet.

Key takeaways:

• What APIs are, how they work, and why they are so valuable?
• APIs in Age of Early Computing
• APIs in the Early Internet Age