API stands for Application Programming Interface. It is a set of protocols and tools that allows different software applications to communicate with each other. APIs define the methods and data formats that applications can use to request and exchange information. Here are some key points about APIs
Communication Bridge APIs serve as a communication bridge between different software systems. They allow applications to access the functionality or data of other applications or services.
Standardized Interface APIs provide a standardized way for developers to interact with the functionality of a software component or service, abstracting the underlying implementation details.
Request and Response In a typical API interaction, one software component (the client) sends a request to another component (the server) using a predefined set of rules. The server processes the request and sends back a response.
Data Exchange APIs often facilitate the exchange of data in a structured format, such as JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) or XML (eXtensible Markup Language).
Web APIs Many APIs are web-based, allowing communication over the internet. Web APIs often use HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) for communication.
RESTful APIs Representational State Transfer (REST) is a commonly used architectural style for designing networked applications. RESTful APIs conform to REST principles, using standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) for communication.
Endpoints APIs expose endpoints, which are specific URLs or URIs (Uniform Resource Identifiers) that represent different functionalities or resources. Clients interact with these endpoints to perform specific actions.