What is API ?

API (Application Programming Interface)

In basic terms, APIs just allow applications to communicate with one another.

API stands for Application Programming Interface, it's a set of defined rules that acts as an intermediary layer that enables the exchange of information and functionality between different systems, such as between a website and a server or between different software applications. So always remember that The API is not the database or even the server, it is the code that governs the access point(s) for the server.

But why would we need an API ?

There are a few reasons why APIs are important in web development. Let's go over some of them below:

Web applications need APIs to get data from various sources, like databases or websites.
APIs are a scalable option for managing high data or request volumes.
APIs could leverage existing features and services. This saves developer from redundancy.
They keep things safe by ensuring that only authorized individuals or programs can use them.
An API makes a website or mobile app more enjoyable to use by integrating data.

Example: Food-delivery application. There have many data need to access to use and implement with application such restaurant's location, review and contact. By Google has provide ~~you~~ a way to query their application ~~include~~such Google ~~Map~~Maps to get their data, so we can use The Google Maps API to view or use those data in our application, and it would stay up to date automatically that way.