Can anyone think of the shortest possible definition for API, especially for someone who doesn't know programming? I'm using it in an essay and would like to footnote the definition for readers that might not understand the meaning or context of an app programming interface without tripping myself and the flow of the work.
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From the wikipedia disambiguation page:
API, originally Advanced Programming Interface but now more commonly known by its near-synonym, Application programming interface, is any defined inter-program interface.
"any defined inter-program interface" is nice, but maybe a little broad for your purposes.
It's a lot of things (see wikipedia). But I usually think of it as the collection of tools and documentation that allow a user to interact with an external library or base of information.
Howstuffworks has a good definition:
An application-programming interface (API) is a set of programming instructions and standards for accessing a Web-based software application or Web tool.
I don't think API implies that the application must be web-based, but I otherwise like this definition.
vroomfondel
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