Learning how to consume an API is one of those magical abilities that, once mastered, will unlock a whole new universe of possibilities. And if you are a developer, Python is an excellent language for learning how to consume APIs.
Many of the programs and tools you use daily are linked to an API. APIs play a crucial role in various tasks, from primary and uninteresting, like checking the weather in the morning, to the more compulsive and time-consuming, like scrolling through your Snapchat, Instagram, or Twitter feed.
Lets understand Google APIs in detail.
What Are Google APIs?
An API is a collection of technologies that enables other programs to easily retrieve and post data from one software system to another. Developers may create apps more quickly and effectively with the use of APIs.
APIs can take on a variety of shapes or formats. They may be operating system APIs for tasks like turning on your camera and audio so you can join a Zoom call. They could also be web APIs for web-specific tasks like photos on Instagram or retrieving recent tweets.
All APIs, regardless of type, primarily operate in the same way. Typically, when you ask the API for data or information, it responds with what you asked for. When you open Twitter or scroll through your Instagram feed, you send a request to the API powering that app and receive a response in return. This is also referred to as calling an API.
It is not surprising that Google APIs occupy a sizable portion of the API landscape. Google Cloud APIs provide programmatic interfaces to Google Cloud Platform services. They are an essential component of the Google Cloud Platform. They enable you to quickly and inexpensively add the power of everything from processing to networking to storage to machine learning-based data analysis to your apps.
Google Python API
Google provides its own documentation for each Google resource, which developers can use to automate or use Google resources with programming languages (including Python). The Google API Python Client guide covers important library concepts. It also shows examples for various use cases, and provides links to more information.
Base Structure
Any Google API resource’s basic structure can be the same, but certain somewhat distinct things require special attention. There may be a more complex structure that may or may not contain numerous objects. However, when you create a Google API script for any Google resource, there are a few things created inside the script because they are similar to all Google resources:
- Google Libraries APIs
- Further dependent libraries
- Build a service object with a credential object
Prerequisites
1. Authenticated user
When using Python or another programming language, you require an authenticated user to contact any Google resource API. It aids in establishing a link between the application or script and the user’s personal Google resource.
2. Enable APIs
By default, none of the Google resources are accessible, even if you have a service account. The user cannot make a call using Google resources because all of the APIs for a given Google account is disabled. Google offers this type of security and states that it should be enabled whenever an API call to a particular resource is necessary. You must enable the Google resource API individually for every Google resource. Google Resources, which offers API calls, has a list of applications you can access here.
3. Library instals
Another Prerequisite for Google API includes the python version & dependent libraries. You can create a separate virtual environment for the project. It will help you to manage python packages separately.
Authentication
4. Create a credential object
While creating a credential/accessibility object, you need to take care of two things:
- Credential location: It refers to JSON file location.
- Scope: It refers to the reach of a specific credential object. Scope defines what kind of permission you allow to a particular set of credentials.
Resource Access
5. Create a service object
You can use the build function to create a service object, which can be imported from the discovery package.
The build function helps users to create a service object which defines what kind of Google resources they are accessing.
6. Collection object
Once you create a service object that provides and makes access to a specific Google resource, you can use service objects to fetch resource information. Each API service gives users access to one or more resources. A collection is a group of resources of the same type.
7. Multiple Resource
The article discussed a single Google resource where you generate a single credential object. Then you use that single credential object to construct a service object, which you then use to carry out the task.
However, you might want to utilise numerous resources within a single script in various circumstances. To accomplish this, you can reuse the same credential object and Google APIs libraries, allowing you to work with the same memory object.
Conclusion
As a developer or tech geek, you look forward to exploring all developer things when technology is part of your lifestyle or work. Google APIs & libraries are crucial things you generally look for.
We hope this guide gives you a basic understanding of Google Python APIs. The steps for all the Google resources you can perform and achieve some behaviour are common. Besides, the documentation for each Google resource is provided by Google. While learning all of this at once can be confusing, it’s better to know about the allocation and modules use cases for each Google resource from a trusted source.
Reach out to Spring People, your certified training partner, to learn everything about Google APIs.
