What are northbound APIs primarily used for?

Northbound APIs are primarily designed to facilitate communication from the network controller to management software and external applications. This type of API allows the management software to interact with the network's control layer, enabling it to utilize network resources and configure network policies more effectively. By employing northbound APIs, organizations can automate network management tasks, extract analytical insights, and integrate various applications to enhance overall network functionality and operational efficiency.

In the context of network programmability, northbound APIs are essential for enabling higher-level applications to interact seamlessly with the underlying network infrastructure. They abstract away the complexities of the network devices and provide a more user-friendly interface to retrieve information or push configurations, allowing for greater flexibility and ease of management within a software-defined networking environment.