5.3 Why APIs?

Advantages:

• ‘Pure’ data collection: avoid malformed HTML, no legal issues, clear data structures, more trust in data collection…
• Standardized data access procedures: transparency, replicability
• Robustness: benefits from ‘wisdom of the crowds’

Disadvantages

• They’re not too common (yet!)
• Dependency on API providers
• Lack of natural connection to R