An API (Application Programming Interface)
is a set of rules and protocols that allow one software application to
interact with another. It defines the methods and data formats that
applications use to request and exchange information. APIs are used to
allow different systems, services, or components to communicate with
each other.
APIs typically work by
defining endpoints (URLs) where one system can send requests, and the
system receiving the request processes it and sends a response back.
Here's a basic overview of how the process works:
1. Client
(Requester): The system (or program) that initiates the request. This
could be a user interacting with an app, or a program that needs to
fetch data from another service.
2. API Endpoint: An endpoint is
a specific URL or URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) on the server that
defines where the request should be sent.
3. Request: The client sends an HTTP request to the API endpoint. This can be one of several types:
GET: Retrieve data.
POST: Send data (e.g., create a resource).
PUT/PATCH: Update data.
DELETE: Delete data.
4. Server: The server hosts the API, processes incoming requests, performs the requested action, and sends back a response.
5. Response: After processing the request, the server sends a response
back to the client. This could be in various formats, commonly JSON
(JavaScript Object Notation) or XML. The response typically includes a
status code indicating success (e.g., 200 for OK) or failure (e.g., 404
for not found).
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