What is an application programming interface and what does it stand for?

Application Programming Interface (API) — is a set of rules, protocols, and tools that allow different software components to interact with each other.

API defines how one program can use the functions or data of another program without delving into its internal implementation details.

Example: a web service provides an API through which a client application can send requests and receive data in a specific format (e.g., JSON).

API simplifies integration, code reuse, and the development of software systems.