An agreed interface between systems
An API describes operations that software can request and the information needed to perform them. As MDN explains, APIs provide defined ways for software to interact. A web API might offer operations for looking up a customer, creating a job or reading an invoice status. The interface is separate from the application’s visible screens. This can allow one application to work with another without a person copying information through both interfaces, provided the required operation is actually supported.
Example: creating a job from an accepted quote
A quoting application could ask a job-management system to create a job after a customer accepts. The request might include an existing customer identifier, site address and approved scope. The receiving system checks the request and responds with a result, such as a job identifier or an explanation of invalid data. The integration should then record that result. Sending a request is only one step: the business needs to know whether the job exists and which record corresponds to the original quote.
Questions to answer before development
Check whether the provider exposes the required operation, what permission is needed and whether the subscription includes API access. Review limits, supported data fields, pagination and the way changes are announced. Ask how a test environment can be used without creating live transactions. Decide which system owns each shared field and how failures will be surfaced. Refined IT can review the documented interfaces before scoping development, avoiding an assumption that any function visible in a product can necessarily be controlled through its API.
Common questions about api
Is an API the same as an integration?
No. The API is an interface. An integration is the working connection built around interfaces, data mapping and operational rules.
Does an API provide access to every record?
Not necessarily. Available records and actions depend on the interface, authentication, permissions and provider restrictions. Access should be limited to what the integration needs.
Related definitions
- API integration — A connection that uses software interfaces to exchange information or coordinate actions between systems, with authentication, validation and error handling.
- Authentication — The process of checking an identity, such as verifying a signed-in user, application or service before granting access.
- Webhook — An event-triggered HTTP message sent from one system to another. Receivers should verify the sender, validate the data and handle retries safely.
- Automation — A repeatable sequence of actions triggered by a rule, event or schedule. Reliable automation includes validation, error handling and a clear human owner.
Related SEO guides
An API can supply website content or measurement events; the implementation determines whether that content can be rendered and evaluated.
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Put it into practice
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