Computing Dictionary
Application Program Interface definition
programming (API, or "application programming interface") The interface (calling conventions) by which an
application program accesses
operating system and other services. An API is defined at
source code level and provides a level of
abstraction between the application and the
kernel (or other privileged utilities) to ensure the
portability of the code.
An API can also provide an interface between a
high level language and lower level utilities and services which were written without consideration for the
calling conventions supported by compiled languages. In this case, the API's main task may be the translation of parameter lists from one format to another and the interpretation of
call-by-value and
call-by-reference arguments in one or both directions.
(1995-02-15)
