What is API?
- Posted by Frank on January 2nd, 2008 filed in Basic Information
- Comment now »
API is an abbreviation for Application Programming Interface. API is a source code interface that allows operating systems or libraries to provide support to requests for services made by computer programs. The functionality provided by the software is called the implementation of the API.
API in itself is abstract in the sense that it specifies the interface and the behavior of the identifiers specified in the interface. However, the implementation of the behavior is not fully specified. There are generally two kinds of APIs encountered by the general public. One is free API like that of Microsoft and the other is protected API like PlayStation 2. Some benefits of protected APIs are quality control and revenues from licenses.