Using Joomla to intergrate into another systems API?

[boostman]

Completely new at this and even don;t know how to pharse the question correctly but here goes....

Problem:

(Site 1) user is using a learning module system for creating courses, tests, tracking scores etc. This system offers an API for connectivity to its DB and such.

(Site 2) user has a website but is interested in Joomla for creating a single login site so that the user can signup for classes, pay for them, then lbe able to login with the same login info to the Site 1 interface.

Any ideas or places I can start researching this would be great. I have been using Joomla for a few years now but this is somethign I have never done  and would like ot learn but am clueless as to where to start, which is why I am posting here.

I can post the API info if needed in a txt format.

[AmyStephen]

Boostman -

The first question I would ask is about license. Is the LMS GPL-compatiable? If so, there is no license hurdle for developing a GPL-compatiable bridge and distributing it to others. But, if the LMS uses a proprietary license, then there are issues to consider before going much further.

Also, have you looked at Open ID to help achieve single signon? Joomla! v 1.5 is OpenID enabled. If the LMS is, as well, you can achieve the single signon very easily.

Hope that helps,
Amy

[boostman]

Thanks for the quick reply. I am checking into the license with the company.

Seems the site for OpenID is being upgraded but will do some research into it.

Are there any resources out there that I can start looking into examples of something similar in nature, or even if not just samples of using an API from a 3rd party and integrating it into Joomla?

[AmyStephen]

There are many "no charge" extensions on the Joomla! Extensions Directory that you could look at to see how they have integrated the environments.

Integration is really not a concrete term. Two applications can be "integrated" visually simply be creating similar looking templates. This forum, for example, is integrated with the rest of the Joomla.org sites "visually." Of course, doing so has no license implications.

You can also integrate an application to share the same IDs and passwords. That can also be achieved very easily (and without regard to license) by using OpenID. You could further integrate two applications by having one drive the menuing system and access control of the other.

The first step is to study and understand exactly what you mean by "integrated" and then to look for examples of other applications that build that type of cohesiveness between applications.

Again, it can be as simple as the look - or use an outside authentication system - or actually start marrying the code together. As you move into tighter integration and begin using the APIs for both platforms  to create a combined application then, licensing issues come into play.

I would start by looking at the Extensions Directory to see what others are doing. Maybe others have other ideas, as well!

Welcome to Joomla!,
Amy