Application Programming Interface
An Application Programming Interface (API) allows applications to interact with each other. Without an API, programmers could not communicate between two separate apps. Your phone software uses APIs that allow you to interact with programs you’ve downloaded.
APIs allow data to be tightly secured while simultaneously maintaining accessibility. A well-managed API includes an API gateway and is secured at the discretion of the developer.
Developers are using distributed integration platforms to utilize the superior functionality of API when building applications. These integrated platforms connect the development network together – including legacy software and the Internet of Things (IoT) – into a streamlined environment for application development.
NFT API
A Non-Fungible Token (NFT) is a digital financial security stored on and verified by the blockchain.
The NFT API allows for cross-chain transactions and resolves metadata for NFTs, collections, users, and exchanges.
The NFT API is integral to the development of any NFT exchange or application. A wide variety of NFT sites, apps, games, and widgets utilize an NFT API to acquire data on ownership, transfers, transactions, and costs. It has also been widely adopted as an integral component in many web3 applications.
Networks and Chains supported by NFT API are:
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Binance Smart Chain (BSC)
- Avalanche (AVAX)
- Fantom (FTM)
- Polygon (MATIC)
- Testnets
Use of NFT API
To buy an NFT, consumers interact with a number of APIs. When a user logs on to the website of the NFT marketplace, they intend to access the catalog, pricing, availability, and other information. To do this the marketplace must either update its website manually or implement the use of the NFT API to automatically access and publish information from the NFT database.
The following is a list of NFT API’s functional roles.
Data-on-demand
With API, the most obvious benefit to the marketplace is the instant accessibility to the NFT database. The NFT API facilitates the discovery and verification of NFT collection information as well as other important metadata.
Searchability and universal accessibility
The early days of NFTs were marked by piles of contracts that had to be manually sorted through. Developers dealt with irregular datasets and difficulty verifying metadata like transaction history or ownership. The NFT API normalizes the NFT database which makes it easily searchable and user-friendly. The increased accessibility and reliability of data saves money and time for both professionals and new market-goers
Blockchain support
The NFT API is supported on the Ethereum and Solana blockchain networks. Ethereum is a blockchain that powers its own cryptocurrency. It is widely accessible compared to the traditional blockchain and provides crypto-marketplace services for hundreds of games and applications. Unlike Ethereum, Solana is a public blockchain platform and provides smart-contract functionality.
Ownership Verification
Like cryptocurrency, the fluidity of the NFT market demands real-time verifications of ownership. Without this fundamental ability, the NFT market cannot function properly. Webhooks are built into the NFT API to allow the automatic real-time transfer of metadata like ownership information.
Fetching and Sorting
The recent growth of the NFT market has made manual filtering unfeasible. Accessing collection information and other relevant criteria is integral to making NFT value judgments. As the history of an NFT accrues, so does its value. That’s why any NFT application should employ a wide network of data sources to maintain an accurate catalog. The NFT API draws data from a large pool of sources to provide up-to-date and accurate information.
Find NFT creator
Collections can be hard to find – even if the creator is popular. Some collections might be hidden or spread out across exchanges. Tracking these NFTs across networks can provide useful market information and can help buyers assess the value of a contract. Using the NFT API, users are able to receive accurate, real-time token addresses identifying specific creators on any given exchange or application.
As the NFT supply and demand increase, developers have found the use of APIs an invaluable tool for managing the huge amount of data users need.
