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API

AY PEE EYE /ˌeɪ piː ˈaɪ/

nounC1

technical

Application Programming Interface. A set of defined rules, specifications, and protocols for building and integrating software applications. It specifies how software components should interact.

APIs allow different software systems to 'talk' to each other without needing to know the internal workings of each other. They define the methods and data formats that applications can use to request and exchange information.

The story behind the word. API is an acronym for 'Application Programming Interface.' The term emerged in the early days of computing as a way to describe how different software components could communicate. It precisely defines the 'interface' (the point of connection) through which 'applications' (programs) can be 'programmed' (interacted with) by other applications. It gained widespread use as software systems became more complex and needed to interact seamlessly.

Word relationships

interface: A broader term; an API is a specific type of interface for programmatic interaction.
protocol: A set of rules governing the exchange of data, often used in conjunction with APIs.

Commonly confused with

User Interface (UI): A UI is for human interaction with software; an API is for software-to-software interaction.

Collocations

REST API
public API
private API
API documentation
integrate an API
API call

Example sentences

"The weather app uses a third-party API to fetch real-time meteorological data." Integrating different services.
"Developers can use the operating system's API to access hardware features like the camera or GPS." Describing software development.
"Many modern web applications are built by combining data from various APIs." Discussing web services.

Memory hook

Think of an 'API' as a 'Application's Personal Interpreter' that helps different programs understand each other. App's Personal Interpreter

When not to use

Don't use 'API' as a generic term for any software connection. It specifically refers to a structured interface for programmatic interaction.

Fun facts

Many of the apps on your phone rely on dozens of APIs to function, fetching data from various online services.
The concept of an API is not exclusive to web services; operating systems and software libraries also expose APIs for developers to use.

Related words

Integrate, Framework, Database

Explore more words

Connectivity, protocol, Component, Platform, specification, Interact