DEV Community

Cover image for Day 1.4: Understanding API with an analogy.
Madhumitha
Madhumitha

Posted on

Day 1.4: Understanding API with an analogy.

What is API(Application Programming Interfaces) in cloud?
APIs are like instruction manuals that enable developers to interact with and utilize AWS services in their applications by defining how software components communicate.
Simple analogy for easy understanding:
APIs are like a menu at a restaurant. The menu lists dishes (services), and each dish has a description(API documentation) detailing how it's prepared. Customers(developers) use the menu to place orders(make API calls) and the kitchen(AWS services) follows the instructions to prepare and serve the requested dish(perform actions in the cloud). The menu simplifies the process, allowing customers to interact with the restaurant without needing to know the recipes or cooking details. Similarly, APIs provide a simplified way for developers to interact(making requests and receiving responses) with AWS services programmatically without needing to know the internal complexities.
Real life examples:
(1) Weather API: A travel app uses weather API to display current conditions and forecasts for destinations, helping users plan their trips.
(2) Social media API(like Twitter API): A news website integrates the twitter API to display live tweets related to specific topics or events on their homepage.
(3) Flight aggregator API: A travel booking platform uses a flight aggregator API to provide users with a full view of available flights, prices, and schedules across multiple airlines.
(4) Maps and Location API(google maps API): A food delivery app uses a maps API to show the real time location of delivery drivers and track their routes for efficient deliveries.

Top comments (0)