What is a Print API?

A print API is a set of software tools that enable you to integrate printing functionality into apps and services created with any modern programming language. Unlike printer drivers, which are specific to one device or manufacturer, print APIs are designed to be used across multiple platforms and devices.

The Chrome Printer Management API allows you to connect an organization’s printers to the cloud and use them from any Chrome or Google Workspace device. This API is a RESTful interface that supports JSON over HTTPS. To access this API you need to generate a key and an application ID, which is unique for each app using the API. The key and the application ID can be stored in an Admin console or service account for easy access by developers.

In this article, we’ll build a simple printing app that uses the Chrome Printer Management API to print text, HTML elements, bar codes and QR code on supported Custom America thermal printers. We’ll also show how to improve the pairing, printing and user experience by implementing various methods to optimize our application.

Mid and large-scale businesses that have a large number of customers or clients can greatly benefit from integrating an advanced web to print API. This solution can significantly streamline the entire direct mail process, which includes address validation and personalization for each individual recipient. A print API can even be integrated with payment gateways and customer relationship management (CRM) systems.