Get started

Prerequisites

The basic steps are: get an API key, make sure you're connected to the internet, understand how to send requests, write some code, and read the API documentation at the provided URL.

To use open APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), there are a few things you need to have in place first:

1. API Key
   • You often need an API key, which is a unique code that allows you to access the API.
2. Internet Access
   • Since APIs are online, you need an internet connection to send and receive data.
3. Understanding of HTTP Requests
   • APIs work by sending requests and getting responses over the web, similar to how your web browser works. You should know a bit about how these requests are made (using tools like a web browser or software like Postman).
4. Basic Programming Knowledge
   • It's helpful to know some programming basics so you can write code that uses the API to get data and do things with it.
5. API Documentation
   • The API provider will usually have a guide or documentation that explains how to use their API. You need to read this to understand how to make requests and what kind of responses to expect.