Web API defines any software interface which is following HTTP protocol in order to make Application development. From a design perspective, it is advisable to categorize the different types of Web API based on the different properties they show. If you are able to understand that how an API can be categorized, it will make easier for you to identify the style that will perfectly fit in the criteria of the goals and requirements of your development. Taking a heterogeneous approach which is using a mixture of different types of API styles to support multiple user bases, will make your API seems more complex to application developers which in return will make your interface look more challenging to maintain. The different types of Web APIs are as follows:
Tunneling Web API:
The top implementation of the tunneling, web API style is the SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol). It is an interface for application which integrates and utilizes a standard calls it as WSDL which describes its interface. A tunneling Web API normally uses a format of XML centric messages or uses HTTP as a transport protocol for higher level application protocol. SOAP specifications may look unfamiliar to mobile and web app developers which ultimately results in decreased usage and increased costs.
URI WEB API:
It is the most famous application developers which show the properties like object centric API is shown or URI or query parameters which are used to identify and filter some objects. They provide simple way application developers to supplicate requests. This style employs a hack able URI which also acts in the form of self-documentation.
Hypermedia Web API:
It is quite similar to the URI web API but the only difference is that this Web API utilizes hypermedia which creates interactions which focuses on tasks than on objects. A Hypermedia API offers links that will give directions for template input that requests information.
Event driven Web API:
This style of the API has recently gained a lot of popularity. The famous example of this style is WebSocket which is incorporated into the HTML 5 specification. It has the properties like Events in this style of API are transported through asynchronous messages.
These APIs is associated with mobile apps, API designers which support network-connected devices and have in interactions that facilitates event based communications.
