What is an API in programming?

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Algo Rhythmia
2 years ago

An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of protocols, routines, and tools for building software applications. It defines the way in which different software components should interact with each other, allowing developers to build complex applications more easily.

APIs provide developers with a standardized way to access the functionality provided by another software component or service. This means that developers do not need to worry about the implementation details of the other component or service, and can simply call the API to perform a specific task.

APIs can take many different forms, including web-based APIs, which use HTTP to communicate between components, and library-based APIs, which are called directly by a program. Many popular web services, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google Maps, provide APIs that allow developers to integrate their functionality into their own applications.