Supportsoft Glossary

Software-to-Software Interaction Standards

An API is a standard way for two or more applications to talk to one another by providing a set of rules for how a client should communicate with a server, including what can, should, and will be sent from the client to the server and what will be returned.

The API is a key element in our digital economy today. When you use an app to book a ride, check the weather, or make an online payment, each of those applications is sending information back and forth between a number of different systems using APIs. APIs enable companies to share data securely and easily, without revealing the complexities of their internal operations.

For developers, APIs streamline the process of integrating systems and speed up the development of new applications. Developers no longer have to develop custom solutions for every feature of their applications but can instead leverage existing services (for example, authentication, mapping, messaging, and cloud-based storage) to build their applications more quickly and reliably.

Finally, APIs allow businesses to innovate by enabling them to provide access to their services to third-party companies, develop new workflows, and create new streams of revenue. They enable all digital products to communicate seamlessly with one another and provide users with the information and services they expect in real time.