API — Application Programming Interface
Definition: A set of protocols and tools for building software applications that specify how components should interact.
Example
In engineering planning, you'll often hear something like: "Let's pull the latest API numbers before we make a call" — shorthand for application programming interface.
When you'll hear it
API shows up most often in engineering planning, architecture reviews, and sprint retrospectives. When someone uses it, they're usually referring to application programming interface — and they expect the room to already know what that means.
FAQs
What does API stand for?
API stands for Application Programming Interface.
What does API mean in technology and engineering?
A set of protocols and tools for building software applications that specify how components should interact.
Where will I hear API used at work?
API comes up most often in engineering planning, architecture reviews, and sprint retrospectives. It's used as shorthand for application programming interface, so people assume you already know the term.