What is an API?

Hey there friends, in this article we'll discuss API, which stands for Application Programming Interface. You must have heard about API's a lot of times and you are using everywhere without even knowing it.

Benefits of API

API can also be referred to as 'A Perfect Invention' because it has completely changed the way we develop our code, software and we interact with other software/programs. Today, whatever you see in the world of technology is actually driven through APIs. The communication between two applications is enabled by this fantastic, easy-to-use, flexible technology which is called as API.

What is API?

API stands for Application Programming Interface, and what API actually does is, it lets you use certain specific features from some another program or software in your Project/Software/Program. These features are developed by the software developers so that others people/Software Companies can use in their applications or Projects.

We can understand API if we correlate to a real life example. Suppose you are using a coffee vending machine. You see the menu options on the machine and you choose the specific option of your choice. Let’s say you chose 'Latte' and make the payment. The vending machine then returns you latte coffee.

The machine does not let's you know how it is making the coffee inside. There can be numerous numbers of configurations, complexities inside the machine. You don't need to worry how the machine is making the coffee.
In this scenario the API is the menu options provied by the Coffee Machine. The API (menu option in this example) acts as a messenger and conveys the massage to the machine to prepare 'Latte' coffee and then give it to the Customer.

Examples, Where API is used:

There are many applications using API. Some examples can be UBER, Zomato, even Pinterest is also using API. Shopping from Amazon, Ebay and making Online payment also requires API of bank for Internet Banking and Payment Portal.
UBER and Zomato uses Google Maps API for tracking your location or the exact location of the Delivery boy. Pinterest uses Google Sign-In API for authenticating the user for logging-in into their website.

How API works? Explanation:

• The User System which wants to access the data will make request to the API of the API providing system for fetching the data.
• The API will then request the main system to authenticate the request of the User System.
• The Main system will then authenticates and verifies the request.
• If the main system verifies the request as true then only the API will deliver the data and if the Main System response as false then the API returns an error message to the User System.

Summarising, what API can do and what we can conclude:

An API never returns the "HOW" of a system but only return the "WHAT" of the system, i.e. API hides the complexitites of the backend, an displays only the required functionality. It enables security of the backend by allowing only the verified user to access the data.