API

Code communication protocol

API stands for application programming interface—a set of protocols that allows different software systems to communicate with each other.

Developers use APIs to access features or data from other applications without needing to understand their internal workings: The app pulls weather data through an API.

Twitter's API lets developers build tools that interact with the platform. (Lowercase api is a variety of apple.)

protocol

REST

Web service design paradigm

SOAPWeb services messaging specification
HTTPWeb data transmission standard
HTTPSEncrypted browsing standard

WebSocket · JSON · XML · TCP · SSL · TLS · stateless · POST · PUT · headers

security

authentication

Confirming genuine identity

authorizationFormal permission granted
OAuthToken-based authorization standard
tokensCurrency substitutes

keys · encryption · permissions · scopes · credentials · secrets · vulnerabilities · throttling · certificates · validation

data

endpoint

Final point reached

requestFormal act of seeking
responseAnswer to stimulus
payloadCarried freight or charge

query · parameters · key · value · header · body · schema · callback · resource

development

libraries

Public book lending institutions

frameworksFoundational organizational systems
testingExamining to evaluate
mockingScornfully imitating or ridiculing

debugging · sandbox · staging · deployment · monitoring · logging · analytics · performance · caching · retry

integration

endpoints

Where something begins and finishes

webhooksAutomated HTTP notifications
callbacksSubsequent contact after initial
third-partyExternal, uninvolved entity

connectors · middleware · gateway · microservices · client · wrapper · bindings · plugins · extensions · interoperability

design

documentation

Written proof or instructions

versioningTracking successive iterations
schemaOrganized representational structure
specificationDetailed technical requirement

contracts · blueprints · modeling · architecture · restful · naming · conventions · parameters · payloads · responses

automation

scripting

Writing executable commands

botsAutomated software agents
schedulingAssigning times to events
pipelineLong-distance fluid transport tube

Jenkins · workflow · trigger · batch · polling · orchestration · ETL · serverless · function · lambda

API