

Ask HN: Why should any serious business use a third party API? - yashchandra

I really need your help in figuring this out. Lot of established companies have APIs that we can hook into. It enables us to access <i>their</i> data which coud be beneficial to <i>our</i> app/business etc. However, if our business is for-profit and using someone's API, aren't you most likely to have confict of interest or violation of TOS etc. ? so why should APIs exist at all to be used by businesses that charge money. Whats the point of APIs? put some cool data on my personal blog ?
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electrichead
In most cases an API is used to increase the visibility of the company and its
services. In some cases, it can be an additional source of income based around
usage (free up to a certain number of hits). I think it is meant to be a
mutually-beneficial or symbiotic relationship. I don't think that there are
conflict of interests as it is a public API. It would be in the terms of use
if it was, and you can elect not to use it.

