API to modify perch:content and hook on forms submit

I'm posting this as a double feature suggestion (maybe for perch runway), although the two are not necessarily dependent

I'd like to suggest (if not already there)

a) an easy-to-learn-and-use API to create, read, update, delete perch content via PHP (without the backend)

b) A hook on the submit of a form to perform some php on the submitted data

USE CASES

With a) import content from csv

With a+b):

• register for an event via form, increase participants number, add participant to list, etc etc

• user-contributed content like adding job offers via frontend...