What Exactly Does “API” Mean? Programming 101

API is a widely used abbreviation among programmers. But what does it mean?

What Does API Mean?

API stands for Application Programming Interface. In short, API simply allows for applications to communicate amongst each other. APIs are equipped with functions and procedures that can code command the access to another application.

How Does It Work?

APIs are software go-betweens that allow two entirely different applications to integrate with each other. An API is a messenger that delivers a code command request to another platform. Once the communication transaction is complete between the two applications, the user will gain access to whatever request they made on the first application.  This means that two applications written on entirely different platforms, infrastructures, code, -you name it- can interweave together to fulfill the requests of their users.

API in Real Life

So how does API work in real life? Let’s say you are a service based B2B organization. You would like to give visitors to your website the option to set up an in-person meeting with a sales representative. Once that potential client has set up their meeting, they might then want to add this new meeting to their google calendar. With an API, you can integrate the communication between your website and google calendar allowing you to offer a “Add to Google Calendar” button request upon completion of setting up their meeting.

Here at Swan Software Solutions, we integrate APIs, along with many other technologies, into the applications of our clients. Do you have a software project or idea but don’t know what the next step is? Contact us today and bring your project or idea to the SWAN Wedge Team for a FREE technical discovery roadmap of your prospective software project.