What is an API?

An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of rules for building and interacting with software applications. It defines the ways a client (a consumer or producer or data) can request services from libraries or software, making it possible for applications to share data and communicate with each other.

When we think of APIs most people think of “Web Services.”

Web Services are APIs that allow different software applications to talk to each other over the Internet. This could be a mobile app requesting data from a server, a web browser, two servers on the cloud communicating to synchronize data, or any number of situations.

However, an API is a more general term that encompasses any rules set by two computer systems to communicate effectively. These rules are critical to ensure that everyone is on the same page about what services are available and how to use them.

There are many different types of APIs used for a wide range of applications, including:

• Real-time communication (chat, video, streaming updates).
• Data access.
• Notifications.
• And more.

And there are many more ways APIs can address each of these uses. Which is why when building an API the three most important things are: consistency, reliability (we’ll include security in this), and documentation.

Many standards have been created for each of those challenges. You could spend an entire career learning them, hire experts, or use software that builds the API for you (such as Proto Studio) that automatically follows best practices and documents your API.