Application programming interfaces are a way for computer applications to communicate even if they don't share a common programming language and exist in completely different parts of the world, or only live in the cloud.

An API is like a translator, or intermediary, that carries messages between the two programs that are formatted according to a set of predictable rules that allow for the exchange and manipulation of data. APIs operate as a layer of abstraction for developers to make it easy for them to use lots of different applications without learning how those applications were built or how they operate.

If you would like to learn more about APIs, and understand the terms API key, API token, API endpoint, API call, and API request, check out this detailed post.