{"id":172,"count":0,"description":"","link":"https:\/\/tenjin.com\/ja\/glossary\/api\/","name":"API","slug":"api","taxonomy":"glossaries","parent":0,"meta":{"status":["1","1"],"order":["0","0"],"glossary_term_description":["
\r\n\r\nDefinition:<\/b>\r\n\r\nAPI stands for Application Programming Interface. It is a set of rules and protocols that allows two software applications to communicate with each other and exchange data. In mobile marketing, APIs are the infrastructure that connects ad networks, attribution platforms, and analytics tools, enabling automated data flow between systems without manual intervention.<\/span>\r\n
<\/pre>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
<\/h2>\r\n
What is an API?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAn API, or Application Programming Interface, is a defined way for two systems to talk to each other. It sets the rules for how requests are made, what data can be exchanged, and how responses are formatted. Think of it as a contract between two pieces of software that defines exactly how they will interact.<\/span>\r\n\r\nYou interact with APIs every day without realizing it. When a weather app pulls the current forecast, it is using an API to request that data from a weather service. When you log into an app using your Google account, an API is handling that authentication in the background. When an ad network sends cost data to your MMP, that transfer happens through an API.<\/span>\r\n\r\nFor mobile marketers, APIs are not just a technical detail. They are the mechanism that makes automated, accurate, and real-time data flow possible across your entire marketing stack.<\/span>\r\n
What Does API Stand For?<\/span><\/h2>\r\nAPI stands for Application Programming Interface. Breaking that down:<\/span>\r\n\r\nApplication: <\/b>Any software program or service<\/span>\r\n\r\nProgramming: <\/b>The set of instructions and logic that defines how the software behaves<\/span>\r\n\r\nInterface:<\/b> The point of contact between two systems where they interact and exchange information<\/span>\r\n\r\nTogether, an API is the interface through which applications are programmed to interact with each other. The term is used broadly across software development, but in mobile marketing it most commonly refers to the connections between ad networks, MMPs, analytics platforms, and data warehouses.<\/span>\r\n
How Do APIs Work?<\/span><\/h2>\r\nAPIs operate on a request and response model. One system sends a request to another, and the receiving system processes that request and sends back a response. Here is a simplified breakdown of how that works:<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\"Knowledge<\/figure>\r\nA request is made.<\/b> One application sends a call to another via the API, specifying what data or action it needs.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe request is authenticated. <\/b>Most APIs require an API key or token to verify that the requesting system has permission to access the data.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe request is processed. <\/b>The receiving system looks up the requested data or performs the requested action.<\/span>\r\n\r\nA response is returned. <\/b>The receiving system sends back the data in a structured format, most commonly JSON or XML.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe requesting system uses the data. <\/b>The application that made the request receives the response and processes it, displaying it, storing it, or passing it on to another system.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThis entire exchange typically happens in milliseconds. In mobile marketing, it happens continuously and at scale, with data flowing between ad networks, attribution platforms, and analytics tools around the clock<\/span>\r\n\r\nA familiar real-world example: when you search for flights on a third-party booking site like Kayak or Skyscanner, that site is not storing airline inventory itself. It sends a request to each airline's API in real time, retrieves available flights that match your search, and displays the results.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nA MMP like Tenjin works exactly the same way when it pulls spend data from an ad network. The request goes out, the data comes back, automatically.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n
API Integration Meaning<\/span><\/h2>\r\nAPI integration is the process of connecting two or more systems through their APIs so that data flows automatically between them. In mobile marketing, API integrations are what allow your MMP to pull cost data from ad networks, send attribution postbacks to partners, and sync performance metrics to your analytics or BI tools.<\/span>\r\n\r\nWithout API integrations, data transfer between platforms would require manual exports, spreadsheet reconciliation, and constant human intervention. With them, data moves automatically, consistently, and in real time.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe quality of an API integration matters. A well-built integration handles errors gracefully, updates data retroactively when needed, and maintains consistency even when one of the connected systems changes its data format. A poorly built one introduces gaps, delays, and discrepancies that compound into significant data quality problems over time.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThis is why the number of integrations an MMP supports, and how well those integrations are maintained, is one of the most important factors to consider when evaluating a measurement platform.<\/span>\r\n
How APIs Work in Mobile Marketing<\/span><\/h2>\r\nHere are some practical examples of how APIs are used in a typical mobile marketing workflow:<\/span>\r\n
Ad Network Cost APIs<\/span><\/h4>\r\nYour MMP connects to each ad network via API to automatically pull cost data. Instead of logging into each network separately and exporting reports, the API handles the data transfer automatically, giving you up-to-date spend figures across all networks in one place.<\/span>\r\n
Attribution Postback APIs<\/span><\/h4>\r\nWhen a user installs your app, your MMP sends an attribution postback to the originating ad network via API. This tells the network that the install happened and which campaign should receive credit, enabling campaign optimization on the network side.<\/span>\r\n
App Store APIs<\/span><\/h4>\r\nMMPs connect to the Apple App Store and Google Play via API to pull revenue data, in-app purchase records, and app metadata. This allows revenue figures to be matched against acquisition data for ROAS calculations.<\/span>\r\n
BI Tool Integrations<\/span><\/h4>\r\nData warehouses and BI tools like BigQuery, Tableau, and Looker connect to MMP data via API, enabling teams to pull raw attribution and performance data into their own analytics environments for custom reporting and modeling.<\/span>\r\n
Benefits of APIs in Mobile Marketing<\/span><\/h4>\r\nAPIs are the foundation of a connected, efficient marketing stack. Here is why they matter:<\/span>\r\n
Automation<\/span><\/h4>\r\nAPIs eliminate manual data transfers. Cost data, attribution events, and revenue figures all move automatically between systems, reducing the risk of human error and saving significant time across your workflow.<\/span>\r\n
Real-Time Data Access<\/span><\/h4>\r\nBecause APIs transfer data programmatically and continuously, you have access to up-to-date figures rather than waiting for manual exports or scheduled batch updates.<\/span>\r\n
Scalability<\/span><\/h4>\r\nAs your campaigns grow across more networks and markets, APIs scale with you. Adding a new network integration does not require building a new manual workflow. It means connecting a new API.<\/span>\r\n
Data Consistency<\/span><\/h4>\r\nAPIs transfer data in structured, standardized formats. This reduces the discrepancies that arise when data from different sources uses different terminology, metrics, or formatting conventions.<\/span>\r\n
Ecosystem Connectivity<\/span><\/h4>\r\nAPIs allow you to build a marketing stack where your MMP, ad networks, analytics tools, and data warehouse all work together. Data flows between them rather than sitting in isolated silos that require manual reconciliation.<\/span>\r\n
Developer Efficiency<\/span><\/h4>\r\nOne of the core reasons APIs exist is to save development time. Because APIs expose pre-built functionality from existing systems, developers do not need to rebuild those features from scratch. They can request data or actions from another system through an established API and focus their time on building what is unique to their product.<\/span>\r\n
APIs and Mobile Measurement<\/span><\/h4>\r\nFor an MMP, APIs are not just useful, they are fundamental. Every connection between your measurement platform and the ad networks, app stores, and analytics tools in your stack is built on API integrations. This is how attribution data gets matched, cost data gets collected, and postbacks get delivered.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe breadth and quality of an MMP's API integrations directly affects the completeness and accuracy of your data. An MMP with limited integrations means gaps in your cost data. An MMP with poorly maintained integrations means delays and discrepancies that affect every downstream calculation, from CPI to ROAS to LTV.<\/span>\r\n\r\nTenjin maintains direct API integrations with hundreds of ad networks and partners, with new connections added on a regular basis. This means your cost, attribution, and revenue data stays as complete and current as possible without requiring manual effort on your end.<\/span>\r\n
How Tenjin Uses APIs<\/span><\/h2>\r\nTenjin's platform is built on a network of API integrations that connect your campaigns, attribution data, and revenue metrics into a single, coherent picture.<\/span>\r\n\r\nWith Tenjin's API infrastructure, you can:<\/span>\r\n