Navigation application programming interfaces that can be used to embed navigation services in software applications are provided. In one embodiment, the application programming interface includes a first set of instructions specifying one or more first parameters to control the implementation of a navigation service by the software application. The navigation service provides navigation information to a user of the software application. The application programming interface further includes a second set of instructions specifying one or more second parameters to control interaction with a routing engine via the application programming interface to obtain the navigation information. The first set of instructions specify one or more configurable event listener interfaces. The configurable event listener interfaces can be operable to obtain data associated with one or more navigation events to update the navigation information provided as part of the navigation service.