On Tuesday 07 June 2011, Anash P. Oommen elucidated thus: > Hi Ryan, Joshua, > > Could you share your thoughts on why you prefer a REST API over SOAP > API ? I could share them with the AdWords team.
I would say the greatest advantages would be simplicity and breath of application. 1. Simplicity Even with a good SOAP library, I have found assembling objects for SOAP calls to be tedious and at times trial-and-error. REST/JSON calls would be easy (for me anyway) to set up: Python object hierarchies translate very easily to/from JSON. Right now, there is a HUGE amount of code dedicate to creating interface libraries for the AdWords API. With a REST/JSON interface, this code could be minimized. SOAP, while powerful, is *incredibly* complex, causing confusion for even those that say they are experts in the field. REST keeps just about all that power while reducing the complexity to URIs and verbs, with a JSON (in my idea) payload. 2. Breadth of application Right now, a client application written in PHP, Python, Perl, Java, etc. must be used to query AdWords. Then, this client application can push the data to a web page. A REST/JSON interface would allow a purely JavaScript web page to be built that interacts with AdWords API. Those are my initial thoughts. I'll post more if I think of them. Thanks for asking for feedback! j -- Joshua Kugler Part-Time System Admin/Programmer http://www.eeinternet.com - Fairbanks, AK PGP Key: http://pgp.mit.edu/ ID 0x73B13B6A -- =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~ Also find us on our blog and discussion group: http://adwordsapi.blogspot.com http://groups.google.com/group/adwords-api =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "AdWords API Forum" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/adwords-api?hl=en
