37. APIs: why Uber uses Google Maps

The server is like a brain: it is a processing organ. But, just as a brain needs sensory organs to give and receive information in the form of a mouth, eyes and ears, so does a server. The server's sensory organs are the APIs.

APIs are snippets of code that let you borrow another app's functionality or data, like Google Maps within Uber.

APIs can help companies grow their user base, make more money and collect more data about user behaviour. Deciding what APIs you product should have open is therefore both a business and a technical decision.