GE IC697BEM731Z connects computers or software to each other

An application program interface (API) is two or more ways for computer programs to communicate with each other. It is a software connection that provides service software to other parts. [1] Documents or standards describing how to build or use such connections or interfaces are called API technical specifications. A computer system that complies with this standard is said to implement or expose an API. The term API can refer to either a specification or an implementation.

In contrast to a user interface, which connects computers to people, application programming interfaces (apis) connect computers or software to each other. It is not intended to be used directly by a person (the end user) rather than a programmer who integrates it into the software. Apis typically consist of different parts that act as tools or services available to programmers. Programs or programmers that use part of it are called this part of the call API. The calls that make up the API are also called subroutines, methods, requests, or endpoints. The API specification defines these calls, meaning that it explains how to use or implement them.

One purpose of apis is to hide the internal details of how a system works, expose only those parts that programmers will find useful, and keep them consistent, even if the internal details change later. Apis can be customized for a specific pair of systems, or they can be shared standards, allowing interoperability across many systems.