JISC

This project is now complete. See the reports

Background

Application programming interfaces (APIs) are a set of functions, procedures or classes that an operating system, library or service provides to support requests made by computer programs. An API is a machine-to-machine interface rather than a user interface. It allows developers to access the functionality of other software modules through well-defined data structures and subroutine calls. The Web 2.0 premise of openness has sparked a trend among software companies and organisations of opening up their APIs for use by others.

Project Overview and Aims

The ‘Good APIs’ project aims to provide JISC and the sector with information and advice on the factors that encourage use of machine interfaces, based on existing practice.

Its main objectives are:

• to define a set of criteria to use when selecting instances of the effective use of third party machine interfaces by the HE community
• to identify instances of the effective use of third party machine interfaces, and document them
• by reference to the above, to draw general lessons with respect to good practice making services and data available via machine interfaces, in particular reviewing how developers within the HE sector are using APIs offered by both commercial sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Google, and non-commercial sites such as SherpaRoMEO.

Deliverables

• Good practice and lessons with respect to making data and services available via machine APIs. See the report 
• A report reviewing current practice in UK HE on these issues. See the report
• A small set of practical recommendations that, if implemented, would be very likely to result in a demonstrable improvement in the situation in UK HE.

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