MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Google last week launched the first of the Google+ APIs.
“We want every one of you who builds applications to be able to include rich sharing, identity, and conversations in your app. We’re taking the next step on that journey by launching the first of the Google+ APIs,” the company said.
The company said Google+ gives users full control over their information, supporting everything from intimate conversations with family to public showcases and debates. This initial API release is focused on public data only — it lets users read information that people have shared publicly on Google+.
The APIs are standards based so developers don't have to learn a new programmatic style, and include a number of open-source libraries to avoid writing HTTP requests, which in the past have functioned as the interface into applications.
The code libraries are available in a number of languages including Java, GWT, Python, Ruby, PHP, and .net. From the developer perspective, the APIs include a number of standard-oriented features to make it clean and easy to adopt the new APIs.