Application programming interface

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Categories: Technical communication | Application programming interfaces

"API" redirects here. For other uses, see API (disambiguation).

An application programming interface (API) is a source code interface that an operating system or library provides to support requests for services to be made of it by computer programs.^[1]

1 API versus ABI
2 Distinction between specification and its implementation
3 Release policies
4 Some example APIs
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

API versus ABI

An API is similar to an application binary interface (ABI) in that both specify details of how two independent computer programs can interact. However, an API is typically defined at a higher level (i.e., in terms of a programming language that can be compiled when an application is built, rather than an explicit low level description of how data is laid out in memory). For example, the Linux Standard Base is an ABI, while POSIX is an API.^[2]

Distinction between specification and its implementation

The software that provides the functionality described by an API is said to be an implementation of the API. The API itself is abstract, in that it specifies an interface and the behavior of the identifiers specified in that interface; it does not specify how the behavior may be implemented.

Release policies

There are two general kinds of API publishing policies that are often encountered:

Some companies protect information on their APIs from the general public. For example, Sony used to make its official PlayStation 2 API available only to licensed PlayStation developers. This enabled Sony to control who wrote PlayStation 2 games. Such control can have quality control benefits and potential license revenue.
Some companies make their APIs freely available. For example Microsoft makes most of its API information public, so that software will be written for the Windows platform.