Nowadays, most in-house programming are used to create tools that interact with various existing softwares.

To make this possible, software developers provide what we call APIs (application programming interface) with their software. An API is a library of functionalities, data structures, object classes and variables that allows programmers to interact with softwares, databases, websites, 3D engines, etc., without having their source code.

For instance, Google provides an API allowing its users to develop programs or websites using Google functionalities such as geolocation with Google Maps, agenda and documents management with Google Calendar and Google Docs and much more.

At Cadmax, we often use the APIs provided with Tekla Structures software in order to automate and facilitate some tasks such as steel structure detailing and coordinating models between various construction softwares. The task can be as simple as creating automatically a Christmas tree (http://www.cadmax.ca/en/learning-center/86-sapin-de-noel) or more complex, such as creating parametized steel connections, automating 2D drawings, etc.

We also use others APIs such as OpenGL, a free multiplatform 3D engine that we used to develop a steel structure visualization program with information extracted Tekla Structures. We are therefore able to provide our customers with a detailed model with more information and interactions than what software sellers offer for free.

An API can be distributed in several programming languages (c#, c++, java, python, etc.) to interact with resources that have not been developed in the programmer’s preferred language. Therefore, when considering investing in a construction software license, it is crucial to get informed on the possibilities offered by APIs to make sure not to limit your expansion possibilities in the future.