...

M.W. halten Praktiker einen Massen-Download über WFS und/oder OGC API \feature für nicht möglich/ausreichend.

Why INSPIRE ATOM-Feeds are APIs

What is an API

"An application programming interface (API) is a way for two or more computer programs to communicate with each other. It is a type of software interface, offering a service to other pieces of software."

( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/API )

Arguments

• INSPIRE Atom-Feeds are "download services" in sense of the Directive ( https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32007L0002&from=EN  ): "download services, enabling copies of spatial data sets, or parts of such sets, to be downloaded and, where practicable, accessed directly;" 
• INSPIRE ATOM-Feeds are two XML-Feeds - that may be read by humans, but are intended to be used programmatically
• Client implementations exists
• Number of services (CSW search for "atom download" services)
  • Germany: 24.129
  • Europe: 10.847
• In practical use since 2013
• They implement the legal requirements: 

Implementing Rule

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32010R1088&from=EN

"Download services are services which give users access to the information contained in the spatial data sets related to the spatial data themes defined in Directive 2007/2/EC. Spatial data sets made available through download services should be in conformity with Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 (3)."

PART A

Download Operations 

• • • Get Download Service Metadata
      Provides all necessary information about the service, the available Spatial Data Sets, and describes the service capabilities.
    • Get Spatial Data Set
      The Get Spatial Data Set operation allows the retrieval of a Spatial Data Set.
    • Describe Spatial Data Set
      This operation returns the description of all the types of Spatial Objects contained in the Spatial Data Set.
    • Link Download Service
      Allows the declaration, by a Public Authority or a Third Party, of the availability of a Download Service for downloading Spatial Data Sets or, where practicable, Spatial Objects, through the Member State’s Download Service while maintaining the downloading capability at the Public Authority or the Third Party location.
• There is a technical spec:

Technical Guidance

https://inspire.ec.europa.eu/file/1554/download?token=Y_538IH4

"This document provides Technical Guidance for the implementation of technical service interfaces for
INSPIRE Download Services. This guidance is based on the abstract model established in the
INSPIRE Network Services Regulation [INS NS].
The Network Services Regulation describes the following four download operations [INS NS, Annex
IV, Part A] that must be implemented by Download Services:
Get Download Service Metadata
* Get Spatial Dataset
* Describe Spatial Dataset
* Link Download Service"

with an precise invocation scheme:

Image Added

So why INSPIRE ATOM-Feeds are not APIs?