Have you ever wondered how your favourite food ordering apps are able to
track the movement of the delivery executive?
We live in a world where inter-connectivity is at its peak. We possess the
incredible power to purchase, order or post something from anywhere, at
any time, just at the tap of a button. But how does it happen? How does
data get transferred at such an incredible rate between systems/devices?
It has got something to do with APIs.
API is the unsung hero of today's hyper-connected world, which enables us
to make reservations at hotels, book flight tickets, track movement and
stay connected more than ever before.
But what is an API?
Application Programming Interface, or simply API, is the medium through which two applications/web pages/devices/software/databases interact and exchange data with each other. In essence, an API is the middleman that takes requests from one device/application/software, and then returns responses from other devices/applications/software.
One of the best ways to understand a complex topic is through analogies,
and here is one of the most cited analogy to explain APIs in a layman’s
language. Imagine you are at a restaurant, and you want to have caesar
salad with iceberg lettuce. The place from where you can get the dish is
from the kitchen. What’s missing is the critical link between you and the
kitchen. Here’s where the waiter (API) comes in. It’s going to take the
order from you, request the kitchen for the dish, and return it to you.
In a nutshell, this is how an API works, it creates an interface for two
systems (in this case, the waiter and the kitchen) to interact with each
other and exchange data.
APIs have granted us incredible access to each other, without which the modern tech ecosystem would be completely different. Hence, having a basic understanding of what an API is, and how it works, is imperative, irrespective of who you are and what you do.