How can humanities scholars obtain data through the web? Web APIs, or Application Programming Interfaces, allow us to create applications that tap into the data streams and functionality offered by platforms and content providers, including Twitter, Google, and the New York Times. This course will cover the technical and conceptual basis for using APIs in your research, with a combination of skill-specific lessons, lab-based work, and class discussions.
No experience is necessary to get started using APIs, so we will be stacking specific skills over the course of the week. First, we'll cover how to use the command line, which will familiarize us with using scripts to obtain information. Then, we'll address the basics of Python, a scripting language widely used in industry and academic settings because humans AND computers can read it. From this basis, we'll build up our fundamentals of working with APIs, which we'll use to programmatically access web-based services and data from a variety of sources. You'll have the opportunity to delve into your own research interests with the support of the class by the end of the week.
Broadly speaking, in this course, you'll learn the fundamentals of programming, a workflow for building a small script/app, how to access data from a variety of sources, and how to read technical documentation. We hope you'll walk away with confidence in understanding programming concepts, application development, and data-based projects.
So, roll up your sleeves and grab your keyboard--this course is hands-on. Since digital skills often complement each other, consider this course alongside others at the Digital Humanities Summer Institute, including Fundamentals of Programming, CloudPowering DH Research, Practical Software Development for Nontraditional Digital Humanities Developers, or Introduction to Data for Digital Humanities Projects; and more!