With an API Developer Portal, you can easily provide your interfaces and interactive documentation to your clients as a self-service. Interface providers are typically organizations or companies that share their products or data through interfaces with other parties. These can be new customers, existing business partners, software developers or projects that benefit from process automation. An API portal shares the interfaces on a central platform. Instead of maintaining interfaces decentrally in development teams or departments, the APIs are merged in the API catalog and can be effectively managed and published there. The API Explorer very effectively displays the functions and data offered by an interface. The integrated business processes for the API Portal enable a smooth cooperation with your customers and their developers. The portal allows developers to obtain information about the interfaces, retrieve the functionalities and test interfaces directly through the Try Out function. The developer himself can request access to an API using the self-service function. Automatic code generation is an important acceleration factor! The portal generates a full-fledged API client on demand! The costly development of an API client is thus completely eliminated. With the time saved, you can bring your services to the market much faster. The functions of an API Developer Portal include among others: Easy administration in the API catalog Register applications Request consumer access for an API Revoke API access Provide interactive API documentation API Try-out function Automatic code generation of API clients Central user rights and roles Business Workflows The API Portal accelerates you in implementing your API strategy. In addition to saving time, your APIs reach a significantly higher market reach and become visible to potential consumers.

The focus on customer needs is of increasing interest to the banking world. Financial institutions agree that there is enormous potential in APIs, the abbreviation for Application Programming Interface. The APIs allow the use and evaluation of data and functions on bank accounts. The opening of core banking functions to third-party providers opens up new possibilities. Why do financial service providers increasingly rely on Open Banking? The financial world is facing a new era, the extent of which cannot yet be realistically estimated. A change of direction that attacks the traditional self-image of banks. Away from the rigid fetter of perseverance, towards new flexibility, which internationally operating market operators and market participants hope for. In fact, the wishes and requirements of customers and their consumer needs are the focus of developments. A perspective that allows financial service providers to position themselves innovatively which definitely represents a new challenge. The compass of the European Union undoubtedly points in the direction of intensifying competition. With the Payment Services Directive II (PSD II), nothing stands in the way of opening up the banking infrastructure and it replaces the voluntary nature in favour of the binding commitment. What are the advantages of Open Banking for the markets and providers? A provider who initiates and partially controls the payment process via API primarily benefits from the acquisition of information. Knowledge about the customer, which goes beyond the necessity of the pure sales or service process. This will result in a set of rules that is more than just the administration of customer data. In the future, those who have control over the information will shape and control the market. The new currency at the financial centers is knowledge of customer behavior. There is no question that nothing is more valuable than information about it, who at what time which product via which medium has bought or statistically would like to buy it. What does Open Banking mean for the customer? With Open Banking, banks give third-party providers the option of accessing customer data and triggering transactions on bank accounts. The customer, in turn, has access to a number of services under one interface. This new type of customer-friendliness has the advantage that all bank transactions can now be handled flexibly and with greater convenience. Several accounts can be managed within one application. For this purpose, third-party providers for payment and financial transactions (FinTech companies) offer apps that can access existing bank details via APIs. Through these API’s comprehensive availability of the bank data is possible for all other providers. For customers, banking and management of external financial data and services will become simpler, more versatile and more innovative. What possibilities do customers have with Open Banking API’s? An app offered by a third party (FinTech) can be used by the bank, the app provider and the customer. In the future, customers will be able to complete all their financial transactions and integrate additional services on a single platform. The configuration of such frontends is largely carried out by the customer himself. For the providers, usability (user-friendliness) is the main focus, while the complex networking of all data determines the development process in the background in order to provide the various services. How can a user interface be structured for the customer in the future? Depending on the bank details and additional services, the platform can be set up under the banner of Personal Finance Management (PFM): Multi-Banking, all bank accounts at a glance Comprehensive functions and transactions become possible Credit cards are included Handling of all payment transactions via accounts and credit cards Integration of additional payment service providers Integration of investment platforms Connection to shop platforms (Amazon, Shopify, etc.) Administration Bitcoin-Wallet and other crypto currencies Through intelligent networking through APIs, all services are connected to each other and are in direct exchange. Banks are transforming themselves into market designers and flexible service providers, opening up new and innovative business fields.

APIs are breaking new ground for online commerce, a change that is having a particular impact on consumers and traders. Online shops are highly innovative and respond flexibly to customer requirements. E-commerce functionalities can be considerably expanded through intelligent interfaces. What was difficult to program a few years ago is now done by the electronic interface with a few embedded lines of code. What is an API specifically? API stands for "Application Programming Interface". It connects different applications and controls data exchange. The best known is probably the Google API, which makes it possible to embed interactive maps in websites. Such an interface maps all processes required for electronic commerce and controls them across platforms, e.g.: Retrieve product data Shopping cart functions Payment functions Delivery processing Pre- and after-sales measures A trigger for the development of APIs for the e-commerce market is the rapid increase in the number of possible channels and devices available to consumers. In the end, all systems communicate via these interfaces and speak a "unified language". What opportunities are offered by the use of e-commerce APIs? APIs are connections between systems and applications, and the direct channels to customers and markets. Touchpoints are created on the basis of secure data exchange, the marketplaces of the companies are combined as one system. Completely new business opportunities are emerging. APIs provide flexibility and innovation. New end devices can be integrated without problems, new sales channels can be created. Changes in the market environment are responded to quickly and correctly. From virtual reality glasses to Smartwatch and Wearable to cars: any device can connect to the e-commerce application via API. This allows shopping experiences to be created. Independent of the end device, through the intelligent combination of functionalities across all channels. What options are available to digital commerce through APIs? The development is currently rapid, new providers with innovative APIs are coming onto the market almost daily. The core strategy behind this is that the e-commerce provider can see in advance what services and products the potential customer wants. He can now provide the relevant content and trigger the buying process anywhere on the websites and social channels. This can vary from location to location and enables spontaneous product adaptations. Distributed trade channels: customers buy from anywhere. Whether on the mobile device, via social channels or in stationary branches. The purchase offer can be personalized as required with open APIs. Multi-site management: country-specific pages only require an administrative environment. The architecture accesses identical processes and catalogs defined in the backend and makes them available adapted to the needs of the user in the frontend. The maintenance effort for multilingual websites and e-commerce applications is minimized. Predictive Recommendations: Increase sales with product recommendations. The personalization of the shopping experience increases the chance of additional sales. Relevant products matching the search are offered on the various channels (mail, web, social media). Order management: In addition to the physical channel, there is now the digital channel, which offers a complete overview. Customer profiles, orders, inventory data, products, special offers, ordering, purchasing and payment behavior are available at a glance and are available for order processing. Summary and conclusion E-Commerce knows a lot of new triggers: social media, voice, smart home, smart car, to name just a few. They combine these triggers and ensure that the purchase can be triggered immediately at any time from all end devices. Existing systems can be connected and expanded using APIs. In times when markets are changing rapidly, often no stone is left unturned, APIs allow retailers to keep their doors open, react coherently and quickly.

APIs as future technology in the travel industry Digitalisation does not stop at tourism either. Increasingly complex requirements for flexibility and effectiveness in interaction with the customer require new technologies with which the offers can be brought as close as possible to the target person. Making potential customers aware of special travel arrangements that are suitable for them requires advanced applications that can only be implemented with APIs. Tourism leads require special measures Offers from the travel industry often reach their target group in an unusual contact situation. There is a core segment that is looking for the most advantageous offer with concrete travel plans and objectives. The vast majority of future travel customers, however, have not yet consciously realized their desire to consume. People who carry their holiday plans around with them as a subliminal background noise in the back of their mind can become high-quality leads if they are picked up in the right way. This can happen in many different ways, but when the first interest is aroused and the lead is about to qualify, procedures and processes must be put in place that will not resist the project as much as possible and that will additionally support and promote it through suitable, intelligent processes. This is one of the strengths of APIs in the tourism industry. Recipe for success linkage Through the use of APIs, a cooperative interaction between hotels, airlines and customers trimmed to effectiveness becomes a reality. However, this is only the core area of API functionality. The customer particularly evaluates the product benefit of a tourist offer by the additional service offers on site, which the tour operator makes accessible to him in an uncomplicated way - from the rental car to the concert to the excursion. Here, too, APIs can provide the customer with effortless access routes. Productive benefit for booking systems For the organizer, the use of APIs means a noticeable increase in efficiency. The technology allows the optimal organization of contingents, which leads to better results on the booking platforms. APIs allow to embed booking masks in any other web offer, if desired with the complete functionality of the travel portal. This opens up completely new ways in advertising and sales promotion. Additional value can be generated through additional services delivered via APIs. For example, the displayed travel offer can be enriched with tourist information, the current calendar of events or visitor information on cultural facilities and sights. Eye to eye with the customer A particular strength of APIs in tourism is their direct contact with customers. The technology makes it possible to break down even complex information structures into the compact form factor of mobile end devices and thus provide the customer with the entire functionality and real-time communication directly in his hand. For the provider, this means that contingents can be checked at the moment they arise. For the customer, this means that offers appear on his display the second they are made available for use. For both sides, this means that current offers can be booked without delay, linked to suitable offers from third-party providers and presented to the customer as a comprehensive, convenient travel package. Conclusion APIs offer the travel industry new perspectives for generating qualified leads and accelerating and intensifying concrete business processes. In particular, the combination of proprietary offerings with third-party value-added and optimized traffic between providers are a clear signal for the increased use of APIs.

APIs - the revolution for the networked car In addition to home and workplace, the car has been developing into the third living space for some time now. There are few scenarios in which modern man spends more time. Accordingly, many areas of everyday life are gradually being transferred to the car. Only the consistent networking of the car with its environment, as made possible by the use of APIs, makes this expansion of the usage profile in the mobile vehicle possible. The car as a pure means of transport is a thing of the past Telephoning in the car as the only means of networked communication is no longer sufficient for most users. The possibilities of handling professional and private affairs while driving are far too important for modern lifestyles. The topic is so important to drivers that, according to a study by McKinsey Management Consultants in 2015, 37 percent of participants would even accept a change of brand in order to use a well-networked car. The rate of increase is particularly striking: in the previous year 2014, only 20 percent of respondents said so. Automobile manufacturers as API pioneers According to a study by Microsoft, the design departments of automobile manufacturers today occupy a leading position among the developers of API implementations in motor vehicles. The application spectrum lies in all areas of automobile technology. Apps on mobile devices in particular will determine the future of API development. This starts with the purchase, to configure the tailor-made car on the smartphone or tablet in every detail. Car manufacturers assume that these comfortable user environments made possible by APIs will promote brand loyalty and customer retention in particular. The Internet of Things is particularly important in the automobile industry for the consistent use of APIs. The link between manufacturer, dealer and supplier scores particularly well here. This leads to a wide variety of application scenarios. Navigation always up to date An assistance system controlled via an API can keep the digital map material of the navigation system up to date in real time, including any changes in the course of the road, current obstacles caused by construction sites or traffic jams caused by traffic accidents. This allows dynamic route planning based on real-time data. Proactively identify technical problems A number of sensors, which are integrated into relevant components and functional groups, transmit their findings to the manufacturer via API. Detected problems bring twofold benefits: On the one hand, the driver has the chance to prevent the damage that has not yet occurred in advance. On the other hand, the incoming information supports the manufacturer in making design improvements to the vehicle in the event of an accumulation of similar problem messages. Remote control of the car - no problem via APIs The driver has access to numerous functions and information via an app, regardless of whether the current location is in the car or not: Forgot to lock the door? Using the app, the current status can be determined conveniently from the sofa and the lock can be adjusted. Do you need to refuel tomorrow? A glance at the API-controlled fuel gauge allows you to read the current fuel level - and the oil level - at the same time. How far does the residual charge in the battery of the electric car last? The information is immediately available via the app, with an estimate of the possible remaining kilometres. These are just a few examples of networked data communication. Other applications include the networked logbook and information on when the next inspection is due. Services in all areas The range of functions that can be applied via API is constantly growing. Already today, car apps allow the user to locate the nearest parking space or the vehicle parked in a foreign environment. The search for the nearest petrol station is also standard in many vehicles today, as is navigation to special destinations, from gourmet restaurants to ATMs and hospitals. But this is only the beginning. First applications for restaurant reservations or hotel and flight bookings show where the journey is going. APIs as the underlying technology will enable solutions in the future that nobody thinks about today. Conclusion The car is no longer just a means of transport. As an essential living environment, it will support a constantly increasing number of professional and private activities. The factors of safety, location-independent information exchange and real-time communication are of particular importance. The car thus becomes a central control centre for private and professional life.

APIs - technology for more economic benefit The almost immeasurable variety of business processes and operational procedures has over time led to a destructive breakdown of methods and processes. The consequence is the increasing isolation of processes that should be designed cooperatively for effective, synergy-based process control. Modern economic strategies are increasingly aimed at restoring the lost unit step by step. One of the most effective methods on this path is the consistent use of APIs. Increase efficiency on different levels In software development, the use of APIs has resulted in significant growth rates in the areas of flexibility and efficiency. More about this can be found in Flexibility and efficiency through APIs. Basically, the processes in the development of software are simplified by using APIs to automate particularly complicated and time-consuming tasks. But also on a very general level - not only in software development - APIs lead to noticeable savings in resources through the automation of work processes, with time savings playing the dominant role in this respect. APIs optimize business processes The flexibility that comes from using APIs has a direct impact on all types of business processes. The resulting optimization of processes does not only lead to a more efficient way of working. The tangible increase in productivity and the associated cost savings can also be directly attributed to the use of APIs. A beneficial effect of using APIs that is often not immediately recognized is the increase in reach. The flexible functionality of the API architecture allows cooperative processes to be designed that are optimally coordinated with each other. This allows information content to be communicated faster and spread more widely. Synergy as a strategic goal Particularly in the flow control of delivery processes, considerable friction losses often occur in terms of efficiency and speed as a result of the constant switching between different applications that is required to cope with the tasks involved. The use of APIs unites all processes in a common application. This not only simplifies handling, but also gives the customer the opportunity to track all phases of the delivery process in a transparent manner. In addition, the synergetic potential opened up by the consistent use of APIs allows completely new, innovative applications that enable the company to open up new worlds of experience for the customer. The variety of possibilities that manifest themselves in this field are only just being explored. React quickly to changes The market is subject to constant change, driven by varying customer expectations. What is current today can be completely outdated tomorrow. Successful strategies respond to changing demand scenarios without delay. In order to meet the high demands of a constantly changing market, flexible and adaptable technologies are required. APIs ideally meet these criteria. The innovative use of APIs extends the scope of action for companies, their partners and interest groups as well as for external developers. Similarly, APIs open up new revenue streams through their innovative approach and allow the expansion of existing business models. Increased visibility with APIs The already mentioned potential of APIs in expanding and developing reach has a direct impact on the visibility of the brand. APIs are ideal for building brand culture through their efficiency-enhancing and synergistic properties. Conclusion APIs provide significant economic benefits. Especially the open innovation and efficiency, which are made possible by external development and collaboration, create massive gains in resources and synergies.