Which Google API/Tool should a web-developer know about?

Question

I am looking at Google's list of APIs & Tools.

Which Google API should a web-developer know about?
Update:
Programmable web - most popular shows currently
Google Maps
Google Ajax Search
Google Homepage

Answer 1

A developer should only know the APIs that they need to know to do their job. It is pointless to master an API that you don't yet need as you are squandering valuable time that could be better spent on constructive ventures (like better mastering an API that you actually use).

I think that a good developer is better off mastering the skill of quick adoption - that is to say that a good developer knows how to learn a new API fast. This skill, once mastered, creates an infinite set of potential tools at your disposal.

Answer 2

This is super subjective, so I will answer from my experience. The two API's that I think you would run into the most during development, would be:

• Google Maps API
• Google AJAX APIs

Additionally the Search and Feed API's would be important as well.

Answer 3

The important thing is to know about the APIs, and have a high-level understanding of what they can do.

Then sit down and learn the API when you need to use it.

So what Google API/Tools should a dev. know about? You should know about all (or as many as possible). Make it a habit to keep up with such things, and set aside the time you need to keep up. And not only Google's APIs, of course. Make sure you keep track of your programming platform's entire "ecosystem".

Answer 4

None.

The most importance resource on this planet is that little text box and you should know how to use that effectively when doing your job, including finding out about API's and tools that could be helpful. Google has so many API's and comes out with so many more on a regular basic that whatever list you have will be outdated in no time.

Answer 5

I was once asked how i kept up with software development and my simple but true answer was "With difficulty". If you go to programmableweb.com there are 1,584 api's currently listed so keeping up with them will be difficult bu this comes down to putting time aside to read about changes in technology inside you skill set and ones that may be outside but related.

As has been said above not much point in learning an API you don't need but i think there is a point in learning the principles so you can apply them when needed. As an example i recently put together a website which used the Twitter API, the Google Language API and the OAuth API. Took me a couple of days and taught me a lot about how to do and what to do on a practical level, i.e. producing a working system.

So from this i now have a reasonably in depth understanding of interfacing api's to a real world web site and a source of information as to which API's are available to solve any particular problem a client might ask me about.