Among the work that we have realized along the integration of Nextcloud 12 for our maintained instances, we have noticed a detail we had passed before, and that is the end of life for the Dropbox API version 1 on September of this year.
What is an API?
La versión corta de Wikipedia;
In computer programming, an Application Programming Interface (API) is a set of subroutine definitions, protocols, and tools for building application software. In general terms, it is a set of clearly defined methods of communication between various software components.
A metaphor that we can use is that an API is like a Cargo Port, the one can receive loads from cargo ships, tankers and bulk carries of different sizes and nationalities, due the for of the containers and the way ships interact inside the port is already standardized and well defined.
On this case, Nextcloud uses the Dropbox APIv1 to communicate and be able to manage the files of the Dropbox accounts from inside Nextcloud, which is a pretty useful of Nextcloud/ownCloud.
Nevertheless, since Dropbox has set a deadline to the for the support of this API, Nextcloud and ownCloud will lose support for External Storage for Dropbox when this date arrive.
When will the support end?
In one liner: September 28th, 2017
This change was announced since June 28th, 2016 and even when the deadline has been moved from June 28th to September 28th, currently there is no implementation of the APIv2.
Now, what do i do?
So far there is no much effort allocated on this issue, nevertheless there is a GSoC 2017 project ongoing to integrate Dropbox APIv2 in ownCloud, so if you use Dropbox storage on your setup, we consider important that you let know the main developers (Nextcloud|ownCloud) and consider to endorse this feature if you would like to see it of next releases of Nextcloud and ownCloud.
Additionally it is important to note that the support for the APIv2, in case it gets developed, won’t have support for early versions of Nextcloud 12 or ownCloud 10.
On Software, IT & Networks Ltd, we consider that due the lack of dissemination for the end of life for the Dropbox API, thus development has not received the attention and endorsement it deserves by the importance that this feature represents for many digital infrastructures, that’s the reason we wanted to publish this post so users that could be potentially affected get informed of the situation.
Go and contact us and we’ll design the best solution for your specific case.