What is RAML?

RESTful API Modeling Language (RAML) is a simple and succinct way of describing practically-RESTful APIs. It encourages reuse, enables discovery and pattern-sharing, and aims for merit-based emergence of best practices. The goal is to help our current API ecosystem by solving immediate problems and then encourage ever-better API patterns. RAML is built on broadly-used standards such as YAML and JSON and is a non-proprietary, vendor-neutral open spec.

What is an API?

An application program interface (API) is code that allows two software programs to communicate with each other.

How does an API work?

If you open an app on your phone, like the NOS or nu.nl app, the news is not actually on your phone. When you open the app, an API call is sent to fetch the news data from the NOS/nu.nl servers, which is then shown on your screen. Graydon data is ideally suited for integration in customer systems, such as CRM’s and ERP’s, but also in websites like we do with MKB Brandstof.

What is the difference between the new APIs and the old Graydon Web Services?

• The old ones are built in SOAP design model, while the new APIs are built in a RESTful way.

• The old web services do not have a Development Portal, while the new ones have one.

• The old web services are not updated, while the new APIs are continuous developed in an AGILE way; furthermore the new APIs contain new products such as GDM.

What is JSON? What is REST?

JSON stands for ‘JavaScript Object Notation’ and is an open-standard file format that uses human-readable text to transmit data object.

REST stand for ‘REpresentation State Transfer’ and it is an architectural style and approach to communication used in web-services development. RESTful APIs are used by such sites as Amazon, Google, LinkedIn and Twitter.

What are the benefits of the new JSON/REST setup vs the old XML/SOAP setup?

• Data available in smaller (sub)sets without configuration from our side = flexibility.

• Less data over the line means better performance, more speed.

• Data structure contains references for easier understanding of data connections.

• A REST client is more like a browser. It's a generic client that knows how to use a protocol and standardized methods, and an application has to fit inside that.

• Development portal aimed at developers so that Sales can focus on the business side.

• Data models are extensible, so that we can add data without affecting existing users.

Which are the first two new APIs?

The first two APIs are ‘Company Search’ and ‘GDM’. The GDM API contains two calls (they are also referred to as Resources in Development Portal), one to get a list of GDM models the customer created in Graydon Insights; the second call is to actually get the GDM result.

Data from which countries is available via these two new APIs?

From NL, BE and GB.