This CodeLet demonstrates the use of hook_form_alter & hook_menu.
Using hook_form_alter, a text field is added to site information page. Once a API key is saved, the button has value 'Update configuration'
Using JSON menu, one can pull a node of type page, as JSON string.

Hook_form_alter | Drupal Developer
CodeLet
<?php
/**
 * @file
 *
 * @author DrupalD
 */


/**
 * Implementation of hook_menu
 *
 * @author DrupalD
 */
function siteinfo_tweaks_menu() {
   
$item = array();
   
$item['JSON/%/%node'] = array(
       
'type' => MENU_CALLBACK,
       
'page callback' => 'siteinfo_api_data',
       
'page arguments' => array(1, 2),
       
'access callback' => TRUE,
    );
   
    return
$item;
}


/**
 * Impementation of hook_form_alter
 * @param Array $form
 * @param Array $form_state
 * @param String $form_id
 * @author DrupalD
 */
function siteinfo_tweaks_form_alter(&$form, &$form_state, $form_id) {
     switch (
$form_id) {
        case
'system_site_information_settings':
           
           
$siteAPI_key = variable_get('siteapikey', '');
           
//If site API key is set, change the value of the submit button
           
if ($siteAPI_key != '' ) {
               
$form['actions']['submit']['#value'] = t('Update configuration');
            }
           
           
//Add site API field
           
$form['siteinfo_api'] = array(
             
'#type' => 'fieldset',
             
'#title' => t('API'),
            );
           
           
$form['siteinfo_api']['siteapikey'] = array(
             
'#type' => 'textfield',
             
'#title' => t('Site API Key'),
             
'#description' => t('Provide the API key'),
             
'#attributes' => array('placeholder' =>  t('No API Key saved yet')),
             
'#default_value' => variable_get('siteapikey', ''),
            );
           
           
//Add a submit routine to display custom message
           
$form['#submit'][1] = 'siteinfo_tweaks_submit';
            break;
    }
}

/**
 * siteinfo_tweaks_submit
 *
 * Custom submit routine
 *
 * @param unknown $form
 * @param unknown $form_values
 * @author DrupalD
 */
function siteinfo_tweaks_submit($form, $form_values) {
   
$siteAPI_key = $form_values['values'] ['siteapikey'];
   
drupal_set_message(t('Site API Key has been saved:  @api', array('@api' => $siteAPI_key)));
}


/**
 * siteinfo_api_data
 *
 * Return API key in JSON format
 *
 * @param unknown $siteAPI_key
 * @param unknown $nid
 * @author DrupalD
 */
function siteinfo_api_data($siteAPI_key, $node) {
   
//Make sure the API key is present & its the one which has been saved previously
   
if (variable_get('siteapikey') != '' && variable_get('siteapikey') == $siteAPI_key && $node->type == 'page') {
        return 
drupal_json_output(array('node' => $node));
    }
    else {
       
drupal_access_denied();
    }
}
?>
Info file details
name = Site infomation Tweaks
description = This module tweaks the Site infomration page. Provides a field for API key & make it available using JSON.
core = 7.x
Submitted by DrupalD on