The term API stands for Application Programming Interface. Definitions vary from “tools for building software” (Wikipedia) to “tools that computers use to communicate with one another ” (Free Code Camp). Regardless of definition, it is safe to say that web-based APIs are frequently used to share data and sometimes used to create unique user experiences within a system such as Google Maps. In fact, data from one API can be used to interact with another API. For example, it would theoretically be possible to use data about asteroid strikes from Nasa’s API to create a unique Google map showing the locations of those strikes.
But enough talk. Follow this link to start the process of learning about APIs. We are switching back to Mozilla Developer for our initial foray into APIs because Free Code Camp does not have fully developed lessons for this topic yet.