Do you know the definition of the abbreviation API? This guide will provide you with the meaning of API, usage, examples, and more!
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Kevin
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February 3, 2022
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Common Questions
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What Does API Stand For?
According to Investopedia, the term API stands for Application Programming Interface. This is a set of codes that communicate to one another between two software platforms.
APIs are used in many different fields to provide data services, such as financial markets, technology companies, and trading companies. Often, an API might communicate with a database to bring information back to the user.
In software development, APIs are used to exchange data between interfaces that only machines can read. You can think of this like a restaurant. The API is like the waiter, which acts as a messenger delivering orders and food between the tables and the kitchen.
Some companies choose to make their API public. For example, certain Salesforce, Apple, eBay, Google (Google Maps API), Amazon, Facebook Messenger, and Twitter API documentation has been released to the public or for a price.
API services are sometimes made public for different operating systems or social media sites. Often, companies will do this to increase their interoperability and API integration with other systems.
What Is Included in API Documentation?
Many different elements can form a cohesive API document. Most APIs will contain a reference manual. These contain all the information that a person needs about the API to understand it. API specification is often useful to programmers. This is one of many resources a programmer might use.
These documents will often include a quick start guide or information about the functions, classes, return types, and arguments in the API. There may also be information on authentication, SDK examples, tutorials, and code examples. These examples will be in common programming languages such as Java, Python, PHP, Ruby, and Javascript.
What Are the Different Types of APIs?
There are several different types of APIs. Each uses slightly different devices, components, software architectural styles, and protocols to execute data transfer.
Soap APIs
SOAP stands for simple object access protocol. SOAP only allows XML messaging formats, and this type of protocol is considered a decentralized and distributed information exchange environment.
Private APIs/Internal APIs
Private APIs are used internally within a system. Unlike an API shared with the public, these are used by in-house employees to improve or interact with existing internal applications.
Partner APIs
Somewhere between a private API and a public API, partner APIs are shared only in specific use cases. Often, these are shared with business partners who are in signed agreements. The APIs are closely monitored.
Open API/Public APIs
Sometimes known as developer-facing APIs or external APIs, this type of API can be used to increase revenue and make API available to third-party developers.
Web APIs
This is the most common class of APIs. Web APIs use HTTP like you might see in the bar of a web browser for message requests and transfer their data between web-based systems.
Often, web APIs use a client-server architecture on the internet for this type of interaction. One specific type of web API is a Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Web API.
REST APIs
REST stands for representational state transfer. This type of API has six different constraints for building web services applications. This is often considered to be a simplification of SOAP APIs.
Some websites or pieces of software might choose to use both SOAP and REST APIs. REST systems allow messaging in HTML, YAML, XML, and JSON.
What Else Can the Abbreviation API Stand For?
There are many other different meanings of the abbreviation API. Like many acronyms, the term API can stand for different things depending on context.
Below is a list of other potential meanings for the term API from The Free Dictionary. When using an acronym or abbreviation, make sure that you clarify which definition you’re intending:
- Air Position Indicator
- Academic Programs International (Austin, TX)
- Availability Priority Index
- Access Preamble Indicator
- Adobe Printing Inks
- Advanced Photonix, Inc. (various locations)
- Application Programmer Interface (less common)
- American Press Institute
- Automated Physical Inventory
- Agricultural Price Index
- American Pacific Industries (Valencia, CA)
- Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient
- Alert Process Improvement (Sprint)
- Applications, Programs and Indentures
- Asian Public Intellectuals
- Australian Public Intellectual Network (non-profit publisher)
- Average Price Index (describes growth rate, related to inflation measurements)
- Automated Processes, Inc. (est. 1968)
- Attachment Parenting International
- Announcement of Public Interest
- Automation & Process Industriel (French: Industrial Automation & Process)
- Alpha Processor, Inc. (Samsung)
- Associazione Piccole e medie Industrie
- Avian and Pandemic Influenza
- Appleton Papers, Inc. (Appleton, WI)
- Asylum Policy Instruction (UK)
- Aircrew Position Indicator (USAF)
- Assistent Project Ingenieur (Dutch: Assistant Project Engineer)
- Alt Preset Insane (MP3 encoder preset)
- Anti-Poverty Initiative (various locations)
- Angus Productions Inc.
- Application Platform Interface (software)
- Association des Parents Indépendants (French: Independent Association of Parents)
- Asset Performance Inc. (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
- American Pain Institute
- Alice Paul Institute (Mount Laurel, NJ, USA)
- Advanced Pharmaceutical Ingredients
Conclusion
The abbreviation API stands for an application programming interface. This is used in the computer science industry and refers to programming codes that communicate between multiple software platforms. These are also used in financial markets and automated trading systems.
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