All about API Concepts

 

This section discusses various API Concepts. An API can be created for applications, libraries, operating systems, etc. This is a way to define their “vocabularies” and resources request conventions (e.g. functions calling conventions). Certainly, it may include specifications for routines, data structures, object classes, and protocols used to communicate between the consumer program and the implementer program of the API.

Above all, an API is an abstraction that describes an interface for the interaction with a set of functions used by components of a software system. The software providing the functions described by an API is said to be an implementation of the API.

An API can be:

• Firstly, API is bundled in the libraries of a programming language, e.g. Standard Template Library in C++ or Java API.
• Secondly, it specifies, meant to address a specific problem, e.g. Google Maps API or Java API for XML Web Services.
• Thirdly, it is language-dependent, meaning it is only available by using the syntax and elements of a particular language, which makes the API more convenient to use.
• Lastly, it is language-independent, written so that it can be called from several programming languages. This is a desirable feature for a service-oriented API that is not bound to a specific process or system and may be provided as remote procedure calls or web services.

In addition, API may be used to refer to a complete interface, a single function, or even a set of APIs provided by an organization. Thus, the scope of meaning is usually determined by the context of usage.

API in Brief

API is an acronym and it stands for Application Programming Interface. This is a set of routines, protocols, and tools for building Software Applications. APIs specify how one software program should interact with other software programs.

Routine: a program that performs a particular task. Routine is also known as procedure, function or subroutine.

Protocols: A format for transmitting data between two systems.

In other words, API stands for Application Programming Interface. Subsequently, it acts as an interface between two software applications and allows the two software applications to communicate with each other. Moreover, it is a collection of software functions which can be executed by another software program.

An Application Programming Interface, API, specifies how some software components should interact with each other. While many people associate APIs with software libraries, the definition is broad enough to include Web Services and all types of messaging that SoapUI supports: SOAP, REST, JMS, JDBC, AMF and HTTP.

API working –

 

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