Definition
Application programming interface (API) is the set of protocols allowing different software applications to communicate. Founders reach for it when a vague conversation needs a shared, specific meaning. Name it clearly, then let the next decision — a hire, a price, a test, or a pass — follow from that meaning.
In the room
How the word shows up in a real conversation.
In a Monday review, someone writes Application programming interface (API) on the board and restates it: “Set of protocols allowing different software applications to communicate.” The next move is a test, a cut, or a double-down — not another debate about the word.
Common mistake
Using Application programming interface (API) as a label instead of a fact. If you cannot point to the evidence — a number, a customer, or a written assumption — you are using the word as jargon.
See also
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Laws and regulations preventing monopolistic practices and promoting competition.
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Process of improving mobile app visibility and downloads in app stores.
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Professional assessment of property or asset value by qualified experts.
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Appraisal ratio
Performance metric comparing investment returns to the risk taken.
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