Twitter recently announced they will no longer support free access to the Twitter API. Everyone seems up in arms about it and I can’t figure out what an API even is. What would doing something like this actually affect?
I’ve tried looking up what an API is, but I can’t really wrap my head around it.
Edit: I’ve had so many responses to read through and there’s been a ton of helpful explanations! Much appreciated everyone 🙂 thanks for keeping this doofus in the know
In: 419
I think others have explained well what’s an API, let me give you the context.
Ever wonder how you can view Twitter posts or post tweets on another app that is not ‘Twitter’? This is because there is this thing calls ‘API’. API is how two different apps communicate with each other. These third party apps uses Twitter API to get those Twitter posts for you and display them on their app. It also tells Twitter to post your tweet for you, via the API.
P/S: If Twitter API is no longer free, you probably have to pay the guys who made those alternative Twitter app if you want to continue use it.
Of course you can do much more with Twitter API, you can program something to get Twitter posts and do something creative with it on your own, as others who have shared here.
There are tons of free APIs on the internet too, such as weather api where u can make your own weather app by getting weather information via the API and do something creative with it like reminding you to bring umbrella when is going to rain.
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