WHAT ARE APIs AND HOW CAN THEY IMPROVE ONLINE BANKING?

An application programming interface (API) can improve the way you develop banking software, streamline your operations, and expand the services you can offer customers. Open banking is the future of online banking, and you can get it with APIs. Here's what you need to know about open banking and APIs.

DISCOVER THE POWER OF APIs IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ONLINE BANKING SOFTWARE SYSTEMS

Are you ready to gain a competitive edge in developing banking software? Developing software with your own APIs allows your banking platform to deliver:

• Expanded, interactive customer offerings.

• Enhanced security features.

• Tailored solutions for every customer.

• Technological innovations that will inspire your customers.

WHAT ARE APIs AND WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT THEM?

In simple terms, an API is an intermediary that allows two software applications to talk to each other. The API delivers your request to a platform and returns to you with an answer.

One example of an API is a website or an email with a "make an appointment" function attached to it. When clients visit your website, they can schedule an appointment time that is registered on your website and on their Google Calendar simultaneously. The two platforms communicate with each other through an API. This process happens in real-time so your visitor never notices and never has to leave your website.

Another example is booking a restaurant reservation. When you look for a restaurant, you look for location, type, and availability. The server you use talks back and forth to the restaurant website to confirm the information and schedules the reservation.

OPEN BANKING APIs IN ACTION

Here's an example from your industry.

In APIbanking, a so-called open banking system allows third-party providers to share information with the bank's customers. These third-party providers are usually financial service companies and other related services. These providers use the customer's data to create solutions tailored to that customer. APIs allow these providers to communicate with banking customers directly on your platform.

The API can take care of difficult tasks such as finding the right checking product for the customer's needs, sourcing loan information, credit cards, and other financial services applications, opening new accounts, and transferring updated information between accounts.

APIs COMPLETE TASKS

APIs are hardworking, useful tools. They take care of tedious, time-consuming tasks that would otherwise fall on the provider's shoulders.

Most APIs use existing third-party platforms to complete their functions. They work across applications, devices, software, and platforms of all kinds. Using an API is like using a common language that all these devices and applications understand.

APIs allow provider s to use a wealth of apps and programs. They can use these apps without having to write new code from scratch for every new function. They can focus on the unique characteristics of their software while using APIs to complete standard functions.

In basic terms, APIs complete mundane, ordinary tasks so developers can focus on more complicated ones. Using APIs allows banking software developers to create more sophisticated, complex software.

TYPES OF APIs

There are hundreds of thousands of APIs, but most fall into one of these categories.

Web APIs: These APIs need to connect to the internet to work. These are the most common APIs.

Public APIs: A public API is a publicly available application programming interface that provides developers with programmatic access to a proprietary software application or web service. Examples of public APIs are found in traffic apps, contact management apps and ecommerce apps. There are thousands of public APIs.

Private APIs: These are high-level APIs created for specific businesses. They allow companies to expand their consumer offerings, improve their communications, and otherwise interact better with customers and the public. Only the businesses that develop these APIs can use them. API banking uses private APIs.

WHAT ARE OPEN BANKING APIs?

We have described APIs as helpers that allow developers to create complex, sophisticated software packages, now let's look at how this applies to online banking software systems.

APIs can take care of delivering messages, transmitting information, and completing other tasks that make online banking platform work better. Using open banking APIs can transform product offerings.

APIs allow developers to create programs that help banks and other financial institutions exchange information with third-party organizations. The right APIs can take application development from simple to sophisticated, enhance customer experience, and maintain security protocols.

Only private, high-level APIs developed specifically for an institution can do this. Banks are more inclined to choose developers who specialize in API development services when seeking banking software.

HOW DEVELOPERS CAN USE APIS TO HELP BANKING CLIENTS DO MORE

• Connect instantly with consumers and other financial institutions.

• Expand the services their online platform can offer.

• Create new products that will wow their customers.

• Increase transaction speeds.

• Allow them to provide their customers with instant updates on ATM locations, branch locations, and contact information.

• Help their customers track loans and credit card information.

• Offer their customers instant solutions to daily financial questions.

• Gain recognition as a technological innovator.

• Do all this while maintaining better security than ever.

POSSIBILITIES OF OPEN BANKING

API banking platforms can transform interactions between app developers and financial institutions.

Some app development possibilities include using APIs to calculate whether a customer can afford a loan or mortgage based on the information in their accounts. Developers utilize API banking to help create mobility functionality that banks will offer to customers with mobility issues via bank by phone. Third-party APIs can help banks offer customers retirement and investment options and provide mechanisms for tracking those investments. Developers utilize third-party APIs to provide banks with the resources to monitor customers' accounts for fraud and identity theft.

Open banking platforms are the future of online banking software systems. Are you ready to see where these high-level APIs can take you?

WHAT API DEVELOPMENT SERVICES CAN DO FOR YOU?

Open banking is the future of online banking. Developers can step into the future of creating banking apps with the help of private APIs. Banks increasingly want to build more functionality into their apps and offer more convenience and a seamless experience when their customers use their banking software. API banking can deliver those expanded functions and seamless integration to the client.

An open banking platform with the right APIs can dramatically improve the way banks interact with their customers. As a developer, the onus is on you to take advantage of technological innovations in bank APIs to build the next great banking app.

Talk to a software developer who specializes in API development services about the future of your online banking platform.