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Difference between API and Web Service
APIs and Web services are two unique concepts in the world of software development and communication between various apps or systems. While they are frequently used interchangeably, they serve different purposes and have distinct properties.
Read this article to find out more about API and Web services and how they are different from each other.
What are Web APIs?
An API (Application Programming Interface) is a set of rules, protocols, and tools that allow various software applications to communicate and interact with one another. It specifies the techniques and data formats that applications can use to obtain and exchange data.
APIs play an essential role in enabling the integration of diverse software components, services, or systems, allowing them to work in tandem.
Key Aspects of APIs
Interface for Developers − APIs serve as a contract or a bridge between various software components. They provide a well-defined interface through which developers can access a service, library, or platform's features. APIs abstract a system's internal workings, allowing developers to interact with it without having to worry about the underlying implementation details.
Interoperability − APIs provide interoperability, which means that programs written in different programming languages or running on different platforms can successfully communicate and share data. Applications can connect with other compatible systems as long as developers follow the API guidelines.
Communication Protocols − APIs can be created using a variety of communication protocols, including HTTP, REST, SOAP, GraphQL, TCP/IP, and others. The protocol chosen depends on the requirements and the architecture of the API.
Data Formats − APIs determine the data formats that are used to exchange data between applications. JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), XML (eXtensible Markup Language), and sometimes even plain text or binary data are common types.
What are Web Services?
A Web Service is a type of API (Application Programming Interface) that runs over the internet using conventional web protocols. It allows various software systems to communicate and exchange data with one another over the Internet.
Web services are designed to be platform-independent and to allow interoperability among different systems. They are frequently used for connecting dissimilar applications and enabling cross-web communication between clients and servers.
Key Aspects of Web Services
Web-Based Communication − Web services communicate using standard web protocols such as HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). HTTP is the World Wide Web's foundation for data transfer, making Web Services easily available via the internet.
Interoperability − Interoperability is one of the key goals of Web Services. They adhere to standardized communication protocols such as SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) or REST (Representational State Transfer), allowing applications developed on different platforms and using different programming languages to effectively communicate and exchange data.
Service Description − XML-based languages such as WSDL (Web Services Description Language) or OpenAPI (previously Swagger) are frequently used to describe Web Services. These descriptions detail the accessible services, the operations they support, the input/output data format, and the communication protocols that will be utilized.
Platform-Independent − Web Services are designed to be platform-independent. This means that clients and servers can run on different operating systems, programming languages, and hardware without interfering with their ability to interact.
Difference between API and Web Service
The following table highlights the major differences between API and Web Service −
Characteristics |
API |
Web Service |
|---|---|---|
Platform Independence |
APIs are language-agnostic, meaning they can be used by different programming languages. |
Designed to be platform-independent, enabling communication between different systems. |
Authorization |
Requires explicit authorization (API keys, OAuth tokens, etc.) for security purposes. |
Implements security mechanisms like API keys, OAuth, or token-based authentication. |
Data Format |
API data formats can vary, including JSON, XML, plain text, etc. |
Primarily uses XML or JSON for data exchange. |
Interoperability |
Provides interoperability between software components or applications. |
Emphasizes interoperability between different platforms and programming languages. |
Communication |
Can be used for communication within an application or between applications running on the same or different servers. |
Primarily used for communication over the internet between heterogeneous systems. |
Protocol |
Can be implemented using various protocols like HTTP, REST, SOAP, GraphQL, etc. |
Uses standard web protocols like HTTP, SOAP, REST, etc., for communication. |
Implementation |
Can be implemented within a single application or service as internal APIs. |
Implemented as external services accessible over the internet. |
Target Audience |
Generally targeted at developers and used to integrate functionalities between applications. |
Used by developers to integrate different systems across heterogeneous environments. |
Conclusion
In conclusion, an API is a broader term that refers to a collection of rules that allow different software components to connect with one another, whereas a Web Service is a specific type of API that functions over the web using conventional web protocols.
Web services are designed to be platform-independent and to allow communication across different systems, making them valuable for connecting different applications across the Internet.
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