API

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Application Programming Interface



TL/DR: APIs just allow applications to communicate with each other.

An API is a software intermediary that allows two apps to talk to each other. In other words:

  • An API is the messenger that delivers your request to the provider that you're requesting it from and then delivers the response back to you.
  • The way for an application to interact with certain system/application/library/etc.
  • Integrating link between a third-party platform for applications to access its features and services.
  • A publicly available web-based API that returns data, like in JSON or XML.
  • An API is NOT a database.

APIs are usually developed in a form consumable a client app.