APIs using R: Glossary

Key Points

Before we Start

  • This course builds on previous courses and is not suitable for absolute beginners.

  • We begin by accessing an API using lowlevel methods, and end by applying them on another API.
What is an API?

  • Getting data from an API is equivalent to requesting a webpage

  • GET requests specify what data we want to retrieve in the URL

  • POST requests specify what data we want to retrieve in the body of the request.

  • Both requests have headers that we can manipulate to get what we want.
GETting data

  • 200 is the internet code for everything is OK

  • GET requests can be adjusted to specify desired result

  • Dad jokes are not really that good.
Using POST

  • POST requests to servers put specific demands on how we request data

  • Using an API requires us to understand (some of) the ways the API works

  • Different searches typically requires different endpoints
What about danstat?

  • Larger services often provide packages to make it easier to use their API
Time

  • Working with time and dates can be complicated. Lubridate makes it easier

  • Special date-time formats can be handled using the library zoo
Data Visualisation with ggplot2

  • ggplot2 is a flexible and useful tool for creating plots in R.

  • The data set and coordinate system can be defined using the ggplot function.

  • Additional layers, including geoms, are added using the + operator.

  • Boxplots are useful for visualizing the distribution of a continuous variable.

  • Barplots are useful for visualizing categorical data.

  • Faceting allows you to generate multiple plots based on a categorical variable.
Whats next?

  • Practice makes perfect

  • KUB Datalab offers lots of courses and consultations

  • The web is overflowing with tutorials and courses

Glossary

{:auto_ids}
API
:   Application Programming Interface

key word 2
:   explanation 2