API

API stands for Application Programming Interface. It is essentially a tool that allows two computers to talk to each other and exchange information. Commonly used for one system to be asked a question such as “Give me a list of houses in this specific postcode” and for the other system to respond with “here is a list of houses in the postcode you submitted”. API’s often only respond to specific requests formatted in specific ways and are usually used by developers to automate processes behind the scenes. API’s are not generally considered to be user friendly and are designed by one developer to be used by other developers.

Token

In the application of an API a Token acts like a username and password in one. Many, but not all, API’s require the person making the request to authenticate themselves with a valid token that they will have received upon registering to use the API.

JSON

JSON stands for JavaScript Object Notation. It is a text based format for storing and exchanging information between systems. It's a popular data format used in web applications to transmit data between a server and a client

TPS

The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is the UK’s only official ‘Do Not Call’ register for landline and mobile numbers. It allows people and businesses to opt out of unsolicited live sales and marketing calls. It’s free and quick to register a telephone number.

CTPS

The Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS) is a list of organisations (limited companies, public limited companies and Scottish partnerships) who have registered their wish not to receive unsolicited direct marketing calls.

API Call

The process of using the API to make a request and get an answer (response) back from the API service.

Rate Limiting

The maximum number of API calls (requests) the API service will allow you to process in a certain period of time. In some cases, systems can also have a physical limit of amount of data transferred in Bytes. With API rate limiting you can cap the number of requests an API gateway can process in a given period. Doing so protects the system from being flooded with excessive messages.

Throttling

The quantity of requests you make to an API can be controlled or ‘throttled’ either as part of the API process or more often in response to users hitting a predetermined rate limit after which point the API may respond slower to calls from that user whilst continuing to requests more quickly from other users.

Request

Request is another term used for an API Call.

STD Code

STD or Area Code is term many of us are familiar with, but very few actually know what STD stands for. Area codes were introduced into the UK numbering scheme in the late 1950s and allowed for Subscriber Trunk Dialling (STD), that is, a caller could make a call to a telephone number directly rather than go through a telephone exchange operator.

Prettify

Prettifying is a term used to describe making something more readable or 'pretty'. In our case, we offer you the oportunity to prettify the telephone numbers you submit to us for TPS screening by presenting your numbers back to you with spacing that makes the telephone number easier to read alongside the result of your screening. For example 01273555555 would be returned as 01253 555555 if you selected the prettify option when screening.