How to: What's an API?
Before we even get into API technologies, let's first understand what is an API.

API stands for Application Programming Interface. It is a set of definitions and protocols for building and integrating application software. It's sometimes referred to as a contract between an information provider and an information user establishing the content required from the producer and the content required by the consumer.

In other words, if you want to interact with a computer or system to retrieve information or perform a function, an API helps you communicate what you want to that system so it can understand and complete the request.