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Computer Programming Software Terms, Glossary and Dictionary
API: Application Programming Interface
Application Programming Interface (API) is a set of definitions of the ways one piece of computer software communicates with another. It is a method of achieving abstraction, usually (but not necessarily) between lower-level and higher-level software. An API defines data structures and subroutine calls. Networking APIs are entry points to libraries that implement network and data communication protocols. Traditionally, the primary networking APIs have been implemented in socket libraries, for example Berkeley sockets API, Windows Sockets (Winsock) APIs, and Java network APIs.
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