What is API integration?
An API integration connects systems through the programmatic interfaces they expose, rather than manual export and import.
APIs are the backbone of modern integration - flexible, real-time, and capable of custom connections that prebuilt integrations do not cover.
Short answer
API integration is connecting systems through their application programming interfaces, so they can exchange data and trigger actions programmatically. APIs are the standard, flexible way modern tools integrate, allowing custom, real-time connections beyond prebuilt integrations. API integration powers the data flows that keep a CRM synced with the other systems a business runs on.
Key takeaways
- Connects systems through their APIs.
- Exchanges data and triggers actions programmatically.
- The standard, flexible way modern tools integrate.
- Enables custom, real-time connections.
Why it matters
APIs make integration flexible and powerful. Prebuilt integrations cover common cases, but APIs allow custom, real-time connections tailored to a business's specific needs. They are how systems exchange data and trigger actions programmatically, powering the data flows that keep a CRM synced with everything around it.
How Ardovo handles it
Ardovo exposes an API for custom integrations and connects to common tools out of the box, so both prebuilt and custom data flows are supported. Rook works with the data these integrations move, keeping it clean and consistent across programmatic connections.
Frequently asked questions
What is an API in the context of integration?
An application programming interface - a defined way for one system to exchange data and trigger actions in another programmatically. API integration connects systems through these interfaces, so data flows and actions happen automatically between them, rather than through manual export and import.
Why use API integration instead of prebuilt connectors?
Prebuilt connectors cover common integrations quickly, but APIs allow custom, real-time connections tailored to specific needs that no prebuilt connector covers. API integration is more flexible and powerful, making it the standard for custom data flows, while prebuilt connectors handle the common cases with less setup.
What can API integration do?
Exchange data between systems and trigger actions programmatically in real time - creating records, updating fields, kicking off workflows, and pushing events. APIs power the flexible, custom data flows that keep a CRM synced with the specific systems a business runs on, beyond what prebuilt integrations provide.