Whether you're looking to create the next great hub for musical artists, create an SMS portal for wordwide SMS messaging or you simply want to create widgets and mashups for your website these 10 API tools can help you reach your websites ultimate information providing goals.
1. DataMash - Mash Up API for integrated Widget Operations
DataMash in it's most basic terms is a "hub" for all of your sites online content. The program worked by createing a service side software chip that can keep track of a users "mashets" which are in essence groups of widgets that are updated whenever content changes.
Using the DataMash program users can "widgetize" any piece of information including websites, documents (excel and others) or applications you're already using. Users can then create new connected Mashets using any of the thousands of Mashets posted on this site.
It's basically a way to interconnect your data among various widgets.
2. Web Shots Pro - Websites Screenshot API
The screenshot process for Web Shots Pro couldn't be any more simple than it alread is. Essentially a webpage URL is sent to the program, which is then put together using a combination of Apache/mysql/php and other custom software, the site is then sent back to the user in thumbnail form. That's the most simplistic look at how the program works.
Using the companies API developers can easily create screenshots for website directories, website review sites and for virtually any other purpose they can dream up. The program even offers full error checking so goofed up or missing pages do not display as incorrect images.
Plans start at $5 per month, which should be enough for users to give the program a try and see if it meets the needs of their websites.
3. The Echo Nest - Music Related API
This is a must have API service for any web developer in the build process for a music related site. Echo Nest provides artist feeds that are crawled constantly to provide the most up to date possible information for virtually every artist. They also offer a "recommend songs" API that is super intelligent, providing recommendations that actually make sense for each artist/band on your pages.
The Echo Nest API's are so intelligent that their programs can even analyze incoming music tracks and output relevant information about each song in terms of musicality such as "Pitch, Rhythm, Timber" and other important content structured information.
If you want your music site to stay up to date then taking the time to use Echo Nest API's will be well worth your efforts down the road.
4. Clickatell - Wordwide SMS Delivery API
Send SMS Messages in singular or bulk form using a variety of worldwide delivery methods. Clickatell covers over 775 networks in more than 200 countries. The program isn't a simple plug and play and forget API, there are costs associated with the various delivery platforms. They do however provide "Ready-made scripts to help you connect to our gateway through your chosen programming language.
This could be a great option for providing cheap online worldwide SMS capabilities for site visitors or for connecting your worldwide employees through a robust messaging system.
5. Pushpin - Mapping API
If you want to embed maps on your website, while adding your own layers of information (various pushpins) you can accomplish your goals with Pushpin. The program uses a simple to program JavaScript API to create scrolling maps and the documentation for adding your own layers of information is simple to follow with plenty of suppoty.