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"API" redirects here. For other uses, see API (disambiguation).
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An application programming interface (API) is a method for an application to use the functions of an operating system or programming library. It typically consists of a set of functions, procedures, methods, classes or protocols that an operating system, library or service provides to support requests made by computer programs.1

  • Language-dependent APIs are available only in a particular programming language. They utilize the syntax and elements of the programming language to make the API convenient to use in this particular context.
  • Language-independent APIs are written in a way that means they can be called from several programming languages. This is a desired feature for a service-style API which is not bound to a particular process or system and is available as a remote procedure call.

Contents

API versus ABI

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 (Application Binary Interface), 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 the implementation

Scope of the term in communications

The API acronym is often used in documentation, discussions or other communications in reference to all of the programming interfaces in the set, a single function in the set and sometimes multiple APIs provided by an organization. Thus the scope is usually determined by the person, entity or document that communicates the information.

Release policies

There are several kinds of API publishing policies often encountered, including the following:

  1. Companies do not release API information to anybody outside of the company.
  2. 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.
  3. Companies make their APIs freely available. For example, Microsoft makes the Microsoft Windows API public and Apple releases its APIs Carbon and Cocoa so that software can be written for their platform.

API examples

Below are listed some well-known APIs.

Language bindings and interface generators

Below are listed some interface generator tools.

  • SWIG generates interfaces from various languages for Python
  • F2PY: Fortran to Python interface generator.

See also

References

  1. ^ "QuickStudy: Application Programming Interface (API)". ComputerWorld.
  2. ^ "Update on Standards". USENIX.

External links
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