During the recent AWS re:Invent in Las Vegas, the company announced the AWS Data Exchange for APIs. This new capability enables customers to find, subscribe to, and use third-party API products from providers on AWS Data Exchange.
The AWS Data Exchange service allows users to discover, subscribe to, and use hundreds of file-based datasets via Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) offered by third parties such as Reuters, Vortexa, IMDb, and many more. Initially, users of AWS Data Exchange could use Data APIs to get an answer to a specific question with changing information like a stock price quickly, not requiring building a pipeline. It is helpful for a single API; however, users must deal with various SDKs, documentation, and authentication mechanisms for multiple APIs. Therefore, the company now offers AWS Data Exchange for APIs providing consistent access using AWS SDKs and compatible AWS-native authentication and governance.
Using the AWS SDK in a preferred programming language, users can now perform RESTful or GraphQL API requests directly to AWS Data Exchange and receive synchronous answers containing the information they require. In addition, the service handles the integration with the API provider, correct authentication, API subscription management, and ensuring costs appear on the AWS bill. Furthermore, AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) allows users to manage API access from a central location.
For instance, a data provider like Reuters can make their API discoverable to AWS customers by listing it in the AWS Data Exchange catalog using an OpenAPI specification and fronting it with an Amazon API Gateway endpoint. Likewise, through the AWS Data Exchange for APIs, an AWS customer can look for an API product in the AWS Data Exchange catalog, review its subscription terms, support information, and auto-renewal.
Once subscribing to an API product, the service will invoke API endpoints with the correct authentication. And finally, through integration notes, developers can find instructions and code snippets based on the AWS Command Line Interface (CLI) or choose a programming language using one of the AWS SDKs to implement the API call.
Alex Casalboni, a developer advocate at AWS, stated in an AWS news blog on AWS Data Exchange for APIs:
Today you can start integrating third-party APIs such as Infutor, Variety Business Intelligence, IMDb, PeopleDataLabs, Neustar, Experian, Foursquare, PredictHQ, WeatherTrends International, and many more.
Currently, AWS Data Exchange for APIs is available in all regions that offer AWS Data Exchange. Additionally, more details are available on the documentation page.