application programming interface
Sign in to saveAn application programming interface (API) is a connection between computers or between computer programs. It is a type of software interface, offering a service to other pieces of software. A document or standard that describes how to build such a connection or interface is called an API specification. A computer system that meets this standard is said to implement or expose an API. The term API may refer either to the specification or to the implementation.
AI overview
An application programming interface (API) is a connection that allows different computer programs to communicate with each other and share services. APIs matter because they let software developers build new programs more easily by connecting to existing services rather than building everything from scratch.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Article
17 sectionsContents
- Purpose
- History of the term
- Types
- Libraries and frameworks
- Operating systems
- Remote APIs
- Web APIs
- Design
- Release policies
- Public API implications
- API documentation
- Dispute over copyright protection for APIs
- Examples
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
An application programming interface (API) is a connection between computers or between computer programs. It is a type of software interface, offering a service to other pieces of software. A document or standard that describes how to build such a connection or interface is called an API specification. A computer system that meets this standard is said to implement or expose an API. The term API may refer either to the specification or to the implementation.
In contrast to a user interface, which connects a computer to a person, an application programming interface connects computers or pieces of software to each other. It is not intended to be used directly by a person (the end user) other than a computer programmer who is incorporating it into software. An API is often made up of different parts which act as tools or services that are available to the programmer. A program or a programmer that uses one of these parts is said to call that portion of the API. The calls that make up the API are also known as subroutines, methods, requests, or endpoints. An API specification defines these calls, meaning that it explains how to use or implement them.