Best Developer Tools: 5 APIs That Make Life Easier for Developers

Looking to understand more about what the best developer tools on the market? Here, we'll have a look at 5 essential APIs that will make life easier for any developer. APIs are critical to enabling applications to communicate with each other. For example, they let your email app talk to your bank’s website, and they let the different programs on your computer work together seamlessly. The benefit of using DreamFactory to create and manage APIs is that you have complete control over how your product is being marketed and what kind of methods are being used.

1. Yahoo! Finance

Yahoo! Finance offers industry news, stock quotes, market data, financial reports, portfolio management, and more. The Yahoo! Finance API is a wonderful inclusion based on the availability of real-time and historical data related to financial products and markets. Whether you're interested in stocks and bonds or cryptocurrency, many useful API endpoints allow you to retrieve information, generate summaries, and better visualize data. 

Being free, as well as quick and easy to set up, Yahoo! Finance is ideal for start-ups, relative beginners, and those who need access to options data. Any list of best developer tools would be incomplete without it! 

Dreamfactory specializes in the use of APIs to solve development challenges. Learn more about how you can integrate all of your data on a single secure platform. 

2. Stripe

When Stripe first stepped on the scene, there's wasn't much like it based on its ease of use — and to this day, it remains one of the most common and popular online payment platforms. The Stripe API allows developers to benefit from the functionality of Stripe, including the ability to send invoices, manage billing, accept payments, and manage account information. 

As a developer, this means that the integration of Stripe will allow you to issue invoices and track payments from day one. By using Stripe's APIs, SDKs, and libraries, you can also design a secure and customized payment flow. Some options include the Payment Intents API, Setup Intents API, and Payment Methods API.

DreamFactory specializes in REST API generation, offering you the ability to manage third-party APIs via HTTP service connectors. This leads to more powerful workflows and more sophisticated API-driven applications. Learn more about how to integrate DreamFactory with a wide range of platforms, gateways, and management systems including Stripe and Intercom, Stripe and WordPress, and the list goes on. 

3. Intercom

Speaking of Intercom, this is a messaging platform that enables optimal customer communication. Developers love this platform for many reasons, including access to powerful APIs. These flexible APIs and webhooks allow you to build applications based on exactly what you need. Intercom's REST API is a fundamental building block of the platform, which lets you easily integrate Intercom into your own product to benefit from a wide range of available endpoints. 

With DreamFactory, you can easily manage any number of third-party REST APIs within a single unified dashboard. In a few short minutes, you can have your Intercom API ready to integrate with other network APIs, data sources, or applications. This ensures more rapid development, decreasing your costs in terms of time and money. 

4. Currency Exchange API

The Currency Exchange API makes it possible to get exchange rates for global currencies in real-time. You can also access historical market data. Both free (up to 250 monthly requests) and easy to use, this REST API also delivers stock market data in JSON format. Endpoints allow you to get a quote by selecting a specific destination and source, as well as an optional amount. There is even a "timeframe" endpoint where you can request exchange rates for a period of time. 

DreamFactory will help you optimize your API management needs to make your APIs more scalable and sustainable. Learn more about how you can optimize an API to enhance performance and ensure a better user experience. 

5. Dropbox APIs

The Dropbox APIs make it really easy for developers to get content up on their site by using the link share feature. Previously, the only way to get data to a developer was through an FTP server, which is great if you're on the same network but not so great if you're working remotely. Dropbox provides an easy way for developers to get data into their application by giving them access to its link share features. Previously, other than FTP, there was no other way for developers to transfer information over networks.

The Dropbox APIs make your life easier when aiming to upload and retrieve files from Dropbox. As a developer, you can also add Dropbox features to your apps, including sharing, previews, file storage, and search. Whether you wish to integrate with Dropbox accounts or develop and customize workflows, Dropbox APIs allow you to build apps that leverage the power of content and collaboration. 

Learn more about how you can benefit from secure Dropbox APIs with DreamFactory. 

Getting Started with DreamFactory

Want to know more about the best developer tools? Whether you are a front-end developer, a back-end/API developer, or an enterprise architect, we welcome you to learn how you can build applications faster through auto-generated APIs. 

Book a demo to speak to integration experts or start your 14-day free trial today!