IIIF: The Advantages of APIs

IIIF: Advantages of Interoperable APIsMOMA, New York City, May 10th 2016 // #iiif @azaroth42

Rob [email protected]

@azaroth42@iiif_io #iiifhttp://iiif.io/

The Advantages of Interoperable APIs


A Community that develops APIs,

implements them in Software, and exposes interoperable Content


Application Programming Interface

“ A set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications. The API specifies how software components should interact […]

Think: The rules of the game.

If you’re not following the rules of how to interact, then you’re not playing the game.

Lewis Chessman ; National Museum of Scotland

”


Ms. Ludwig XV 15, fol. 14v ; http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/233698/

Why Play by the Rules?

Cost Savings

Flexibility

Integration


Cost SavingsCheaper, Faster, Easier to obtain pieces than to build

them from scratch: Only possible with standards


No Need to Go Alone

Community shares costs

Less to understand

Already designed, documented, implemented, tested


Flexibility: Many Sizes are Possible


Flexibility

Always have best-of-breed by seamlessly swapping products

Easy to integrate legacy systems

Use the same content in different applications

Support for many languages, platforms


Innovation is Encouraged

Anything not specified is possible, and should feed in to the specs


Integration

• Inter-institution content in a single UI• Reunite the Lewis Chessmen! • … and similar• Comparison of objects• Shared analysis tools• Cross institution discovery• Multi-institution virtual exhibits


Rules UpdatesHaven’t had centuries to work on the APIs yet!

• Shared use cases needed• Practical, results based requirements• Responsively managed for changing needs• Responsibly managed to prevent overload• Community based process, with editorial

team documenting the decisions


Rules UpdatesHaven’t had centuries to work on the APIs yet!

• Shared use cases needed• Practical, results based requirements• Responsively managed for changing needs• Responsibly managed to prevent overload• Community based process, with editorial

team documenting the decisions ------->


The Past


Marginally Better


IIIF Provides Consistency


… and Interoperability


Get the image content, and technical data to enable rich interactions with a single image

Just enough descriptive data to enable a remote viewing application for multi-image objects

Image API Presentation API

Two Core APIs


IIIF Image API

http://iiif.io/api/image/2.1/


IIIF Presentation API

http://iiif.io/api/presentation/2.1/

• Structure– Collection, Item, Parts, Content

• Properties– Descriptive– Rights– Technical– Linking



http://iiif.io/api/presentation/2.1/

• Structure– Collection, Item, Parts, Content

• Properties– Descriptive– Rights– Technical– Linking


Shared Canvas:An abstract space used for

building a view of the object



Shared Canvas:An abstract space used for

building a view of the object

Think: Powerpoint Slide











Image + Presentation = Object

Mirador





Image API

Presentation API: Descriptive

Presentation API: StructureBoth: Image / Structure



Universal Viewer Diva.JS


To support login, and differential access to resources.

Search within an object, such as the full text of a book or newspaper

Authentication APISearch API

Two More APIs

All Specifications: http://iiif.io/api/



…shh … secret third line…implements them in Software,

and exposes interoperable Content



based on Web Standards,implements them in Software,

and exposes interoperable Content


Web Standards• Linked Open Data• JSON-LD• Linked Data Platform• Open Annotation• Media Fragments

Putting the puzzle together with a little glue to make it stick


Thank [email protected]

These slides thanks to: @tcramer, @mikeapps, @jpstroop, @bla222, @zimeon, @snydman, and the IIIF community

Technology

IIIF: The Advantages of APIs