Web service APIs are no longer kept hidden in the dark alleys of the internet. They have started surfacing more than ever, as businesses are using them a lot more than a decade ago. These businesses, building software solutions, need ways to broaden their reach in a simple yet effective manner. A company offering ticketing, e-commerce, insurance, or any other online solution, would want to make it easy for potential customers to reach them. The need to make the solution available over multiple channels such as desktop or mobile has led to the growth of web services. Web services can also be used by potential business partners with their own online presence.
Consider a simple example in which a company, AbcDroid, sells flight tickets and another company, EzTrips, sells hotel tickets. A customer who books a flight using the AbcDroid portal can...