I've noticed that many people refer to remote services, like servers, as APIs. For example, they say things like "I'm calling that API" or "I created this API". This confuses me because, to me, an API has always been just an interface—a schema, a set of functions, parameters, and the responses that come back. I feel like when people talk about APIs, they're often referencing specific service instances, like a particular server or the data it serves at a particular network address. I'm curious—why has the usage shifted from just referring to the interface to encompassing the entire service itself? For example, I get that a REST API fits my definition, but it seems a lot of folks are using API to mean more than just the set of endpoints and their definitions.
4 Answers
The shift in language probably happened as REST became mainstream. Instead of saying 'the endpoint implementation of the REST service API', it just got shortened to 'the API'. Now, when someone says 'foo API', they’re really just referring to a specific web service.
Honestly, it's all just semantics at this point. Most developers just want to call the service, and they tend to use 'API' generically for that. If it gets the job done and everyone understands, does it really matter? I mean, we all know an API is just a way for different software components to communicate.
The term 'API' has become quite generic, at least in web development circles. I personally prefer calling it a 'web service', especially if it's HTTP-based. Labels change based on common usage, and as long as we all get the context, I think it's fine.
The term 'API' is still valid; I think your confusion might stem from the term 'REST API'. REST refers to a class of APIs rather than just being an API itself. Every web service has its own distinct endpoints and data structures, and that's what makes up the API for that specific service.
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