Technical Foundations of API (Application Programming Interface) 🌐
APIs serve as intermediaries that enable different software systems to communicate and operate together smoothly. They provide a set of rules and specifications that developers follow to interact with a service, often over HTTP for web APIs.
Core Features of API:
- Endpoints & Methods: Specific URLs and actions (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE).
- Data Formats: Typically JSON or XML for data exchange.
- Authentication & Authorization: Secures API calls.
- Documentation & Standards: Guides for developers.
Real-World Analogy: An API is like a restaurant menu: it lists what you can order (services), how to request it, and how to receive your food (response).
Example: A client application retrieving user data from a cloud server via REST API:
GET /api/users/123
Authorization: Bearer xyz
The server responds with a JSON object containing user details.
Diagram:
sequenceDiagram participant Client participant Server Client->>Server: Send API Request (e.g., GET /api/data) Server-->>Client: Return Response (JSON/XML)