Application programming interface: Difference between revisions
imported>Howard C. Berkowitz No edit summary |
imported>Anderson Osagie (Added Microsoft's CLR as an additional example of an application service abstraction) |
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An '''application programming interface''' (API) is the set of conventions by which a user application program written for a specific purpose communicates with software infrastructure such as the [[operating system]], [[data base management services]], [[web services]], etc. APIs are specific to programming languages, although there may be multiple APIs to access the same service. | An '''application programming interface''' (API) is the set of conventions by which a user application program written for a specific purpose communicates with software infrastructure such as the [[operating system]], [[data base management services]], [[web services]], etc. APIs are specific to programming languages, although there may be multiple APIs to access the same service. | ||
The application service presented may be by a physical computer, or an abstraction such as a [[Java virtual machine]]. | The application service presented may be by a physical computer, or an abstraction such as a [[Java virtual machine]] or a [[.NET]] [[common language runtime]]. | ||
User applications, in this context, could serve either human or computer users. A web browser, word processor, or computer game is an application with a human interface. Alternatively, an electrical power grid manager, a missile guidance system or the control of a cardiac pacemaker is an application that serves a computer. | User applications, in this context, could serve either human or computer users. A web browser, word processor, or computer game is an application with a human interface. Alternatively, an electrical power grid manager, a missile guidance system or the control of a cardiac pacemaker is an application that serves a computer. | ||
The term "application layer", in [[Computer networking reference models]], refers to the services that support applications, not the applications themselves. APIs provide access to the top of the application layer. | The term "application layer", in [[Computer networking reference models]], refers to the services that support applications, not the applications themselves. APIs provide access to the top of the application layer. | ||
Revision as of 19:13, 18 July 2010
An application programming interface (API) is the set of conventions by which a user application program written for a specific purpose communicates with software infrastructure such as the operating system, data base management services, web services, etc. APIs are specific to programming languages, although there may be multiple APIs to access the same service.
The application service presented may be by a physical computer, or an abstraction such as a Java virtual machine or a .NET common language runtime.
User applications, in this context, could serve either human or computer users. A web browser, word processor, or computer game is an application with a human interface. Alternatively, an electrical power grid manager, a missile guidance system or the control of a cardiac pacemaker is an application that serves a computer.
The term "application layer", in Computer networking reference models, refers to the services that support applications, not the applications themselves. APIs provide access to the top of the application layer.