You must have wondered what the term API means (Application Programming Interface) or Application Programming Interface. However, before talking more about the APIs themselves, it is necessary to make a brief introduction about how this type of system works and how it is divided. API is a set of routines and programming patterns for accessing a software application or a platform based on resources found on the Internet.
An API is developed when a company intends that other creators of software develop products associated with your service. There are several of them that make their codes and instructions available to be used on other sites in the most convenient way for their users.
As one of the greatest examples, we can mention the Google Maps in the area of APIs. Through its original code, many other websites and applications use Google Maps data adapting it in the best way to use this service.
When a person accesses a page of an event, for example, it is possible to visualize within the site the map of the Google Maps to know the exact location of the establishment and check the best way to reach the respective address. This procedure is carried out through an API, where the event's website developers use the code authenticated by Google Maps to insert it in a certain location. The same goes for applications such as Uber which still uses Google APIs for the entire Services hub.
Furthermore, through the APIs, various applications present can communicate with each other without the knowledge or intervention of the end users. They work through the communication of several lines of code, defining specific behaviors of a certain object in an interface.
The API links the various functions so that they can be used in other applications. Even so, internet payment systems are a good example of the functionality of APIs that run automatically. In other words, the API is made up of a series of programmatically accessible functions.
Recently, the use of APIs has spread in several plugins, which complement the functionality of a certain software or application in Cloud Computing. Developers of a main program create a specific API and provide it to other creators, who develop plugins to increase the potential and functionality of the initial project, this happens very often and increases the participation of the service.
In addition, operating systems as we know them also have their APIs with the same functions described in this article. For example, Windows has APIs like Telephony API, Win16 API and Win32 API. When a user runs a program that involves some operating system process, it is very likely that Windows will make a connection between the software and some of its APIs so that the process takes effect and the guidelines are followed.
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