a set of software routines useful for interfacing between high level systems (such as users) and low-level systems (such as operating systems or system level tasks). Often the design basis for a man-machine interface.
A functional interface supplied by the operating system or by a separately orderable licensed program. It allows an application program written in a high-level language to use specific data or functions of the operating system or the licensed programs. (2) In DB2, a function within the interface. For example, the get error message API.
Interfaces that support the process of creating, installing, testing, running, modifying, etc. Application programs. source: ITU-T Q.1290 domain: Development Environment acronyms: API usage: EU-P201
A standardized programming interface that enables developers to write their applications to a standard and without specific knowledge of hardware implementations. The benefit is that a single application can run on a wide range of hardware platforms instead of needing to be rewritten for each of those hardware platforms. The software driver for the hardware intercepts the API instructions and translates them into specific instructions tailored to specific hardware. APIs such as DirectX and OpenGL can also emulate hardware functions in software to ensure that the application will run even if the hardware platform is missing a desired feature.
A set of instructions that a computer program can use to communicate with other software or hardware that is designed to interpret that API. In a Netscape Application Server application, the API consists of the Netscape Application Server Foundation Class Library and Open Client Library. Computer programs can use this API to communicate with Netscape Application Server.
A set of functions that allow applications written in C or C++ to communicate with an operating system and issue SQL statements to one or more Oracle servers.
API's bridge the gap between software and hardware. API's are user friendly to programmers offering an easy working base to reference hardware functions. Instead of programmers having to write code to each specific type of hardware, they can program to a set API. The API is written so that it can directly reference features in hardware, making it a fast solution. Hardware has to be made to support the API in order to use it.
An interface that programs use to communicate with other programs
The total set of constants, data structures, routines, and other programming elements that allow developers to use some part of the system software
The programming interfaces (C, Fortran, and NCL) to the NCAR Graphics package. These interfaces provide access to the support functions defined in the classes as well as provide additional useful functionality.
A means by which an application gains access to system resources, usually for the purpose of communication (the sending and receiving of data), data retrieval or other system services. In the specific area of terminal emulation, an API provides for the simulation of keystrokes and for writing into and reading from the presentation space (device buffer). It may also provide for the sending and receiving of structured fields.
(API) b . Describes the public interface or contract of a component.
In general, an API consists of computer processes used by applications to carry out lower-level tasks performed by a computer's operating system. In networking, an API provides applications with a consistent method of requesting services from a network. One of the most common API's used in networking is Network Basic Input/Output System (NetBIOS).
A language and message format used by an application program to communicate with another program that provides services to it.
An 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. APIs are implemented by writing function calls in the program, which provide the linkage to the required subroutine for execution. Thus, an API implies that some program module is available in the computer to perform the operation or that it must be linked into the existing program to perform the tasks.
The procedure calls and data structures used to access a software technology or code library.
a collection of specialized commands created to extend the capabilities of an existing programming or scripting language
(API): in context, software that allows an application to communicate with the networking software. The API does the actual sending and receiving of raw data for the application, but leaves it up to the networking software and middleware to address the packet and take care of computer semantics (languages between different computer systems, like a Mac and a PC). Mentioned in: Network Software. See also: network operating system.
A set of library routine definitions with which third party software developers can write portable programs. Examples are the Berkeley Sockets for applications to transfer data over networks, those published by Microsoft for their Windows graphical user interface, and the Open/GL graphics library initiated by Silicon Graphics Inc. for displaying three dimensional rendered objects.
The interface (calling conventions) by which an application program performs operations. A programmer uses this specification to make use of software.
A functional interface that allows an application program that is written in a high-level language to use specific data or functions of the operating system or another program.
An interface used by application programs to communicate with other systems, for example, for calling subroutines or programs on remote systems.
A standard interface built into a program that lets other programs communicate with it. Used by web browsers and databases as an alternative to CGI gateways. The client-side program is written in Java or JavaScript, and it downloads and executes on the end user's computer rather than executing on the server.
The set of procedure calls that communicates with a linkable procedure library or an operating-system kernel or the combination of both. BSD
An interface that is defined in terms of a set of functions and procedures, and enables a program to gain access to facilities within an application. [Illingworth, 1997
The specification of how a programmer writing an application accesses the behavior and state of classes and objects.
A set of programming functions and routines that provide access between the Application layer of the OSI seven-layer model and applications that want to use the network. It is a software interface.
A set of procedures that represents the programmable elements of a software system. For example, your program can issue calls to the Windows API in order to get the Windows operating system to create windows, draw graphics, open files, and do the other things an operating system does.
A set of routines and function definitions that abstract the implementation details and make it easier to develop and build software applications.
A set of standard instruction that allow for video game programmers to work more efficiently by not having to recreate routine operations that may be common across many games. Some examples of APIs include Direct3D and OpenGL.
a set of software functions that facilitate communication between applications and other kinds of programs or services.
APIs allow you to program to a pre-constructed interface (the API) instead of programming a device or piece of software directly. This allows for faster development, since programming to a device's API is designed to be easier than programming to a device directly. APIs allow you to program without having intimate knowledge of the device or software that you are sending commands to.
A set of commands available to developers for creating applications that interact with Cumulus in order to provide new functionality.
A set of subroutines or functions that a program, or application, can call to tell the operating system to perform some task.
n. A software interface that enables applications to communicate with each other. An API is the set of programming language constructs or statements that can be coded in an application program to obtain the specific functions and services provided by an underlying operating system or service program.
A set of routines, protocols and tools referred to as "building blocks" used in business application software development. A good API makes it easier to develop a program by providing all the building blocks related to functional characteristics of an operating system, which applications need to specify when, for example, interfacing with an operating system (e.g., provided by MS-Windows, different versions of UNIX). A programmer would utilize these APIs in developing applications that can operate effectively and efficiently on the platform chosen.
A well defined set of functions, syntax or languages that enable application programs to communicate with one another and exchange data. Used to simplify programming and ensure interoperability between multiple applications.
A set of routines that an application program uses to request and carry out lower-level services performed by the operating system.
A set of specifications, standards, or conventions that enable programs to exchange information.
The interface (calling conventions) by which an application program accesses operating system and other services. An API is defined at source code level and provides a level of abstraction between the application and the kernel (or other privileged utilities) to ensure the portability of the code. An API can also provide an interface between a high level language and lower level utilities and services which were written without consideration for the calling conventions supported by compiled languages. In this case, the API's main task may be the translation of parameter lists from one format to another and the interpretation of call-by-value and call-by-reference arguments in one or both directions. Source: Dictionary.com
An application programming interface (API) is a set of definitions of the ways one piece of computer software communicates with another. PSiGate provides an XML API to our merchants for integrating their site with our system. If you are using a 3rd party software such as a shopping cart or storefront software package, the software company should have previously integrated with our API.
A program code that allows the program to interact directly with the operating system. An API is used by programmers to write applications that can interact with other applications.
A set of interfaces for extending the functionality of DamageControl.
A set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications or for communicating with programs or other systems. A good API makes it easier to develop a program by providing all the building blocks that a programmer needs Although APIs are designed for programmers, they are ultimately good for users because they guarantee that all programs using a common API will have similar interfaces, which makes it easier for users to learn new programs. On the other hand, many enterprise applications vendors provide APIs for integrating other applications with their systems.
Software that allows application programs to interact with the operating system.
A means of using providing programming access to a basic functionality of a program.
A set of standard software interrupts, calls, and data formats that application programs use to initiate contact with network services, mainframe communications programs, or other program-to-program communications.
A formalized set of software calls and routines that can be referenced by an application program in order to access supporting system or network services.
Set of calling conventions defining how an application invokes a service through a software package.
A set of routines that are available to developers and applications to provide specific services used by the system, usually specific to the application's purpose. They act as access methods into the application.
The specific method prescribed by a computer operating system or by an application program by which a programmer writing an application program can make requests of the operating system or another application.
A set of routines and data structures for building software applications that can function within a specified environment. These applications can then reference these routines in order to access the supporting system services.
An Application Programming Interface is a standardized interface that allows one program to access another program or a peripheral.
(API) The specific method by which a programmer writing a program must make requests of the operating system or another application. An example is the OpenGL API.
Set of related classes and methods that provide certain functionality. The API represents the parts of a class exposed through access modifiers to code written by other programmers.
A set of autonomous functions that allow software applications to send several instructions to another software application in one single message thereby facilitating straight through processing.
An application programming interface (API) is a source code interface that a computer system or program library provides in order to support requests for services to be made of it by a computer program.