gRPC is an inter-process communication protocol used in high-performance applications in cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT), mobile computing, and microservices environments. This article examines how gRPC works, how to use it, and how it compares to other popular API architectures. It also discusses a unique use case where gRPC excels.

Jest is a JavaScript-based testing framework that lets you test both front-end and back-end applications. Jest is great for validation because it comes bundled with tools that make writing tests more manageable. While Jest is most often used for simple API testing scenarios and assertions, it can also be used for testing complex data structures. In this tutorial, we will go through how to use Jest to test nested API responses and hopefully have fun in the process.

The demand for continuous innovation and faster delivery requires a fresh approach to monitoring modern apps and APIs. As development environments grow increasingly dynamic and complex, monitoring performance through a platform that is fully programmable, handles app and API-testing, is optimized for developers, and integrates with existing tools and workflows becomes increasingly critical.

When you maintain an internal or public-facing API, the API documentation is an important component of the overall user/developer experience. One of the industry standards for such documentation is the OpenAPI specification. With an OpenAPI specification, you define a contract that specifies how your API should behave, but nothing stops the parties involved from breaking such a contract (e.g., using a wrong implementation or invalid input).

Whether you know it or not, APIs (application programming interfaces) significantly impact our relationship with technology, allowing applications to share and exchange data seamlessly so we can access multiple pieces of information from a single source. Without API technology, we'd likely get lost far more often (APIs are fundamental to navigation apps like Google Maps), and booking a vacation would be much more complicated (travel booking sites rely heavily on API tech, too).