WTF is an API? How the Internet Works Behind the Scenes

Abstract

APIs, or “Application Programming Interfaces”, have revolutionized the way that we use web and mobile applications by allowing computer programs to talk to each other. Because of this revolution, software development and innovation has radically sped-up over the last 10 years, and apps integrate and communicate in fantastically new ways.

Introduction

We use our laptops and mobile phones every day to communicate with our friends, family, and coworkers. But how do programs communicate with each other?

APIs, or “Application Programming Interfaces,” are the hidden backbone of our modern world which allow software programs to communicate with one another. Although most of us don’t know it, behind the scenes of every app and website we use is a mesh of computers “talking” to each other through a series of APIs. Today, the “API economy” is quickly changing how the world interacts. Everything from photo sharing, to online shopping, to hailing a cab is happening through APIs. Because of APIs, technical innovation is happening at a faster pace than ever. If you already write software, you are probably familiar with APIs. But the rest of you may be wondering: what exactly are APIs and why are they so important?

APIs: The Backbone of Software

At the most basic level, an API is a set of rules that dictate how one application communicates with another. APIs…