012 API

Setting Up Retrofit for API Integration

Introduction to Retrofit and Dependency Injection

• The lecture focuses on setting up Retrofit, an HTTP client for Android applications, alongside a Room database setup.

• Emphasis is placed on using dependency injection to manage the database and Retrofit throughout the application.

Overview of Pixabay API

• The instructor introduces pixabay.com as a source for free images and videos, which also provides an API for access.

• Users must create a free account on Pixabay to obtain an API key necessary for making requests.

Accessing API Documentation

• After logging in, users can access the API documentation that outlines how to interact with the service.

• The importance of obtaining the API key is highlighted; it is essential for making successful requests.

Creating Constants for Configuration

• A new package named "util" will be created to store constants like the API key and base URL.

• The base URL is specified as https://pixabay.com, which will direct where requests are sent.

Understanding Request Parameters

• Discussion about required parameters when making GET requests to the Pixabay API, including the need for an api_key and optional search term (q).

• An example request structure is provided, demonstrating how to format queries with parameters correctly.

Exploring JSON Response Structure

• The instructor shows how to test requests using tools like JSON beautifiers to visualize response data from the API.

• Key elements of the response include total hits and an array of image objects containing various attributes such as URLs and dimensions.

Extracting Image Data from Responses

• Explanation of handling response data includes focusing on total hits and extracting relevant image information from arrays returned by the API.

• Preview URLs are identified as crucial components needed for displaying images within applications.

Image Handling and API Integration

Choosing the Right Image URL

• The speaker discusses selecting an appropriate image URL for their application, opting for a smaller preview URL instead of a larger one due to size constraints.

Data Class Modeling

• Introduction of the need to create two data classes: one for total leads and hits, and another for an array of hits.

Saving and Sharing JSON Data

• The speaker plans to save test.json on their desktop and upload it to GitHub, providing a resource for others facing issues with the Pixabay API.

Structuring Image Response Class

• Creation of an ImageResponse class that will include properties such as total hits (integer) and hits (list), which represent individual images.

Defining Image Result Properties