This guide allows developers and DSPs to learn and use the DATASCOPE WMS API Controller Wrappers.

APIs act as a middleman that allows different software applications to communicate and exchange data. This communication occurs in a request-response cycle. The players during this cycle are the client and server. The client could be a browser, mobile application, or web application, while the server is the backend where the business and application logic are written.

The API acts as an intermediatory between the client (e.g., web application, mobile app, or another system) and your DATASCOPE WMS Server.

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This document will give you an overview of APIs for the DATASCOPE WMS Controller Wrappers and how they work.

Use a REST API for lightweight, stateless, cross-platform integrations, such as web or mobile frontends, or bulk data syncs—though you’ll replicate some logic client-side.

APIs are mechanisms that enable two software components to communicate with each other using a set of definitions and protocols. For example, imagine an online store that sells electronics. When a customer places an order on an e-commerce website (like Shopify), the API facilitates real-time communication between the e-commerce platform and the warehouse system.

Installation/Configuration/Building: The API is installed as a service onto your DATASCOPE WMS server. The configuration involves setting up the server, installing the application service, and potentially configuring routing and security.

Customer Access: Customers use the HTTP protocol to access the API over the network (typically the internet). They send requests to specific endpoints (URLs) like the ones documented, and the API processes these requests and sends back responses.

For more information, refer to the API for Controller Wrappers user guide.

API architecture is explained in terms of client and server. The application sending the request is the client, and the application sending the response is called the server. So, in the online store example, the client (e-commerce platform) makes API requests to the server (WMS API) to check inventory, update order status, and retrieve tracking details. The server (WMS API) processes these requests and responds with the necessary data (e.g., stock availability, order information, etc.)

In summary, the client initiates the request, and the server responds.

Typically, there are four different ways that APIs can work depending on when and why they were created.

These APIs use Simple Object Access Protocols. Clients and servers exchange messages using XML, a less flexible API that was more popular in the past.

These APIs are called Remote Procedure Calls. The client completes a function (or procedure) on the server, and the server sends the output back to the client.

WebSocket API is another modern web API development that uses JSON objects to pass data. A WebSocket API supports two-way communication between client apps and the server. The server can send callback messages to connected clients, making it more efficient than REST API.

These are the most popular and flexible APIs found on the web today. The client sends requests to the server as data. The server uses this client input to start internal functions and returns output data to the client.

APIs are classified according to their architecture and scope of use. We have already explored the main types of API architectures, so let’s look at the scope of use.

Private APIs (or Internal)

These are internal to an enterprise and used for connecting systems and data within the business.

Public APIs

These are open to the public and may be used by anyone. Some authorization and cost may or may not be associated with these types of APIs.

Partner APIs

These are only accessible by authorized external developers to aid business-to-business partnerships.

Composite APIs

These combine two or more different APIs to address complex system requirements or behaviors.

Hardware APIs

Software applications can communicate with devices like sensors, cameras, or graphics cards through hardware APIs. These APIs provide low-level interactions between software applications and hardware, enabling data control and exchange. They also facilitate the development of software that can run on various hardware configurations. This is particularly important in environments with multiple devices like smartphones, tablets, and more. For example, a camera API would allow an application to take pictures.

Software Library APIs

Software library APIs provide a standardized interface for developers to interact with and utilize a software library’s functionality from their code. These APIs specify a set of methods, functions, classes, and attributes the library makes available for external use. The implementation details of a library are hidden. A developer can use previously existing code and functionality by importing these libraries without writing everything from scratch.

Web APIs

Web APIs are designed for use over the web. They use Communication protocols like HTTP to allow applications to communicate and transmit data over a network. The most common type of API is web APIs, which power various applications such as social media apps, e-commerce websites, and mobile apps. They represent and transmit data in multiple formats, including JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) and XML (Extensible Markup Language).

The DATASCOPE WMS APIs are REST APIs. They interact with resources using standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) and return data in JSON or XML format.

They can be classified as:

• By Access

They are best classified as Partner APIs, intended for authorized external developers to integrate their systems with our WMS, enabling business-to-business partnerships.

• By Function

The APIs fall under the Software Library APIs category, as they provide a way for developers to interact with the functionality of your DATASCOPE WMS instance programmatically.

API endpoints are the final touchpoints in the API communication system. These include server URLs, services, and other specific digital locations from where information is sent and received between systems. API endpoints are critical to enterprises for two main reasons:

Security

API endpoints make the system vulnerable to attack. API monitoring is crucial for preventing misuse.

Performance

API endpoints, especially high-traffic ones, can cause bottlenecks and affect system performance.