Abbreviation of application program interface, a set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications.

A good API makes it easier to develop a program by providing all the building blocks. A programmer then puts the
blocks together.

Most operating environments, such as MS-Windows, provide an API so that programmers can write applications
consistent with the operating environment. Although APIs are designed for programmers, they are ultimately good for
users because they guarantee that all programs using a common API will have similar interfaces. This makes it easier
for users to learn new programs.

Definition: An API allows computer programmers to access the functionality of pre-built software
modules

API stands for Application Programming Interface. It allows developers share information between their programs.
Its a standard method where developers can access a program (or website) and build a program around it

An application programming interface (API) is a source code interface that a computer system or program library
provides to support requests for services to be made of it by a computer program. An API differs from an
application binary interface in that it is specified in terms of a programming language that can be compiled when an
application is built, rather than an explicit low level description of how data are laid out in memory.

You often have to rely on others to perform functions that you may not be able or
permitted to do by yourself, such as opening a bank safety deposit box. Similarly, virtually
all software has to request other software to do some things for it.

To accomplish this, the asking program uses a set of standardized requests, called
application programming interfaces (API), that have been defined for the program being
called upon. Almost every application depends on the APIs of the underlying operating
system to perform such basic functions as accessing the file system. In essence, a
program's API defines the proper way for a developer to request services from that
program.

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Developers can make requests by including calls in the code of their applications. The
syntax is described in the documentation of the application being called. By providing a
means for requesting program services, an API is said to grant access to or open an
application.

Building an application with no APIs, says Josh Walker, an analyst at Forrester Research
Inc. in Cambridge, Mass., "is basically like building a house with no doors. The API for all
computing purposes is how you open the blinds and the doors and exchange information."
APIs also exist between applications.
SAP AG's enterprise applications include APIs, called BAPI, that offer other applications
access to business data. When an industry settles on a data standard, a common API
allowing access to applications that process that data often follows, Walker says.

Middleware works by providing a standardized, API-like interface that can allow

applications on different platforms or written in different languages to interoperate.
Although APIs provide a quick and easy way to tap into an application, they can be
constraining for certain power users such as independent software vendors, says Adam
Braunstein, an analyst at Robert Frances Group Inc. in Westport, Conn.

Open source code exposes every instruction and operation in an application and therefore
offers the most flexibility. But understanding source code can be time-consuming, and it
also exposes the author's intellectual property.

When Novell Inc. was rumored to be considering opening up the source code for its Novell
Directory Services (NDS) software last year, then-Vice President Chris Stone said most
corporate developers didn't want to delve into open source code. Instead, he said, they
wanted additional sets of APIs they could work with more quickly. So far, Novell has kept
NDS code closed.

Corporate developers should consider including APIs in applications they develop,

especially if they expect the applications to last and interact with other applications,
Braunstein says. As time goes on, the likelihood that another developer will need to tap an
application's services increases. He says having the foresight to include APIs saves
subsequent developers from having to find and review the source code.