API (Application Programming Interface)

An API is a standardized interface that lets two programs talk to each other. It defines exactly what data one program can request and in what form it gets a response back — like a waiter shuttling between guest (your software) and kitchen (our platform).

What is an API?

API stands for "Application Programming Interface." An API is the agreed-upon language two software systems use to exchange information. It is not a program you operate but a contract: "If you send me A, I'll send you B back."

Picture a restaurant. As a guest you don't see the kitchen. You speak to the waiter. The waiter knows the menu (= the API documentation), takes your order in a fixed form ("pasta with tomato sauce"), and brings back the result. The kitchen can change — new chefs, new equipment — and as long as the waiter keeps the same menu, your experience stays the same. That's exactly how an API separates what your software asks for from how the underlying service delivers it.

Why APIs matter

APIs are the invisible backbone of modern software. When your accounting tool talks to Stripe, when your online store checks real-time inventory, when your website embeds Google Maps — an API runs behind the scenes. Without APIs, every company would have to build every feature itself. With APIs, they assemble specialized services like building blocks.

API in the SendSeven context

SendSeven exposes an API that lets your software send messages, manage contacts, and read conversations — across WhatsApp, SMS, email, Telegram, Instagram, Messenger, and live chat. Three concrete examples:

  • Online store: After each order, your store sends a WhatsApp confirmation automatically — no manual typing.
  • CRM: The moment a lead hits status "hot," the CRM fires a personalized message via the customer's preferred channel.
  • Helpdesk: Incoming WhatsApp messages land as tickets in your helpdesk system — via webhook in the other direction.

Types of APIs

Not every API works the same way. The most common variants:

  • REST API: Today's standard for web APIs. Uses HTTP like a browser, easy to use, supported by every programming toolkit. SendSeven uses REST.
  • GraphQL: A variant where the client specifies exactly which fields it wants back. More efficient for complex data models.
  • WebSocket: For real-time connections where the server itself pushes events (e.g., "new message received").
  • MCP Server: A newer interface type built specifically for AI agents like Claude or GPT.

Authentication: who's allowed to do what?

APIs are not publicly open. Every call has to identify itself. SendSeven uses an API Key — a secret, personal token that works like a password. Whoever holds the key can act on your behalf. That's why an API key never belongs in the frontend, never in a public GitHub repo, never in an email.

What happens when things go wrong?

Every API responds with a status code. 200 OK means all good. 401 means authentication failed. 429 means too many requests — see rate limiting. 500 means a server-side error. A good integration checks the status code and reacts sensibly — for instance, with a retry after a short pause.

API vs. Connector vs. SDK

These three terms get confused often:

  • API: The raw interface — HTTP calls, JSON responses. Requires programming knowledge.
  • SDK: A pre-built library (in Python, JavaScript, PHP …) that simplifies the API for developers.
  • Connector: A ready-made integration to a specific third-party system (e.g., Shopify connector). Often usable without coding.

Do I need an API as an SMB?

Short answer: only if you want to automate something that isn't possible out of the box. SendSeven offers three paths, depending on your technical depth:

  1. Platform UI: Click instead of code — the default for customer service and marketing.
  2. Connectors: Pre-built integrations to Shopify, HubSpot, Zapier, etc. — usually no code.
  3. API: For custom workflows, your own software, or bulk operations.