Efficient API Interaction And Consumption With Laravel: A Beginner's Guide | HackerNoon

    json();

       return view('welcome', 
        ["type" => $data['type']],
        ["setup"=> $data['setup']],
        );
    });

    
    getLocale()) }}">
        
            
            

            

            
            
            [email protected]/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet">

        
          

            
          

Note: in the above code snippet, we used Bootstrap 5 to have a better view, whenever you refresh the page in the browser, the output will change. Below is how what we’ve done looks like.

1. The Second way is to consume an API with a key using the **app\Http\controllers\** to interact and consume the API. Below are steps to achieve this.

First, visit the **routes/web.php**

• Create a route that will take you to your desired controller.

Once you visit the web.php file, you’ll write a line of code that’s the route that will be interacting with the Controller and API at the same time.

Below is the code snippet that you will code in your**routes/web.php**

The Code Above code snippet was named in my way, so you are free to use your naming conventions.

To make your Controller, you’ll write:

php artisan make:controller ConsumeController

Then visit the **app\http\controllers\ConsumeController** on your folder directory, then you’ll see a file named **ConsumeController.php**Open the file; you’ll see a code snippet like this.

So, because we’re going to be interacting with the API in this controller, what we need to do is add a little code snippet above. The code snippet we’ll add above is the code, that will allow us to use the Http class from the Illuminate\Support\Facadesnamespace in your code.
Below is the code snippet to place above, before your class controller name.

Secondly, you’ll create a function that will house all the API interactions. In this case, we will use the **index**naming convention for the naming of our process.

Now, the next thing to do is to get the API and API Keys and store them in a variable.

The name of our variable is**$apiKey** and **$apiUrl**Below is how to store the API in a variable.

    $apiKey = 'test_tf5WlMc5yVwKWk6dsQoeS4Qmz9mCkk8rZVnzCjjZ';
    $apiUrl = 'https://api.nettoolkit.com/v1/account/test-api-keys';

The main purpose of storing your API in a variable is so you’ll be able to call severally.

We’re going to get the HTTP of the API; what this does is it enables you to link to the specified API and apiKey from your Laravel project.

Below is an example of what I explained not too long ago!

    $response = Http::get($apiUrl, [
        'api_key' => $apiKey,
        // Add other parameters as needed
    ]);

We saved the **HTTP** class in a variable called **$reponse**so we want to get the variable where our API is stored.

After getting it, we’ll do something like this!

$data = $reponse->json();

This implies structured data from an HTTP **$response** is assigned to the variable **$data**in this code, and the JSON format is translated and processed into a useful object or array for further manipulation and processing.

Then we redirect to where we want the API to display, in our case, the `view/consume.blade.phpto redirect to this page by using the returnkeyword*` Below is an example.

return view('consume', ['data' => $data]);

All that we’ve discussed in this section is just the entire controller, but I decided to break it bit by bit.

Below is the code snippet.

     $apiKey,
                // Add other parameters as needed
            ]);
            $data = $response->json();
            return view('consume', ['data' => $data]);
        }
    }

After running this code, you’ll go to the view and look for the **consume.blade.php**Inside it, add the code snippet below to be able to view something in your browser.

    
    
        {{ json_encode($data, JSON_PRETTY_PRINT) }}
    

After accomplishing the above task, refresh the page; you’ll see the below content right on your screen.
   
We’ll talk more about API’s seat tight.
FAQ
What is Laravel API?
When we speak approximately Laravel API,we talk roughly about the API (software Programming Interface) improvement gear that the  Laravel framework gives. A set of routes and strategies that permit interaction among outside programs and Laravel software is referred to  as an API inside the context of Laravel.
What is RESTFUL API?
The architectural layout method called a RESTful API (Representational  state switch API) is used to create networked programs. It’s a method  for creating web offerings that follow particular suggestions and boundaries resulting in web offerings that might be scalable, stateless, and simple to apply. Assets, which are things or entities the API can access, are the foundation of RESTful APIs.
RESTful APIs are popular because they are smooth to apply, scalable, and adaptable to many clients. They now function as the de facto enterprise general for creating net offerings, making an allowance for compatibility throughout diverse systems and operating systems.
What’s the difference between JSON and XML?
Even though XML and JSON are both commonly used facts transfer codecs, they range in phrases of syntax and functionality. JSON is a JavaScript item notation XML is an eXtensible Markup Language.
Be aware: there are masses of variations, however, we’ll say few of them.
Subsequent are the principle variations between JSON and XML:
1. clarity: JSON has a clean and recognizable shape just like JavaScript items, so it tends to be less complicated for human beings to recognize. due to its tag-based structure, XML can be more verbose and complex once in a while, making  it tougher to read.

statistics types: handiest a small wide variety of statistics kinds, which include strings, numbers, booleans, arrays, objects, and null values, are supported through JSON. By way of default, XML translates all information as text and necessitates explicit type definitions.

Conclusion
Finally, we have come to the end of this tutorial. Hope you were able to grab tons of value from it. Briefly, we have seen how to set up our  Laravel project and interact with API.
Note! Laravel provides a powerful framework for creating and interacting  with APIs, offering developers a seamless and efficient way to build  robust web applications.
With its comprehensive set of features and intuitive syntax, Laravel simplifies the process of designing, implementing, and managing APIs.  Using Laravel, developers can effortlessly create API routes, define controllers, and handle HTTP requests and responses.
The framework’s built-in authentication and authorization mechanisms ensure secure access to API endpoints, granting developers fine-grained control over user permissions.
Till next time, bye.
About The Author
Full-stack Laravel developer Emmanuel Okolie has 2+years of experience in software development. He has developed full-fledged skills by combining software development, writing, and instructing others in what he does.
His stacks includeReactJ, Laravel, PHP, JavaScript, and other languages and frameworks.
He creates websites for clients as a freelancer and writes technical guides to show people how to do what he does.
If given the chance, Emmanuel Okolie would enjoy speaking with you. Please go to and follow him on his website, Facebook, Github, LinkedIn, and Twitter.