APIs & Data
Protocol / Standard
What It Is
An agreed-upon set of rules for how systems communicate or format data
Analogy
Like traffic laws — everyone agrees to drive on the same side of the road so things work smoothly
Try It Out
Web Protocols Stack
Related Terms in APIs & Data
API (Application Programming Interface)
A waiter at a restaurant — you tell them what you want (request), they bring it from the kitchen (response)
API Key
A VIP pass that tells the bouncer who you are and what you're allowed to do
Request
Placing an order with the waiter
Response
The food the waiter brings back from the kitchen