Difference Between API and Web Services

Difference between API and web surface although both of them look very much similar there is a difference between the two of them.

What is  API?

Application programming interface API is a set of routines data structures object class protocols provided by libraries and operating system services in order to support the building of applications.

the full form of API -  it stands for the application programming interface. 

so application programming the interface is nothing but an interface provided to the user for the programming done behind that application because if the user is using any particular application is not bothered about the programming.

an API is nothing but a set of routines data structures classes means the code that has been developed by the developer, it often comes in the form of libraries like you have seen the jar files and every this is nothing but the libraries that contain the inbuilt functions defined.

What is Web Services?

Web service is defined by the w3c as a software system designed to support interpretable machine to machine interaction over a network.

It means it is nothing but away of communicating between two of the machines.connected in a network that is the reason we call it a web.that means both of them are connected to a web or network.

So EPA and web service are nothing but they serve as the means of communication now web service facilities interaction between two machines over a network so this is the main point that web service will facilitate. 

The interaction between the machines which are connected between a network an API acts as an interface between two different applications so that they can communicate with each other an API it is nothing but it to operation should be able to interact with each other so it acts as an interface.

Introduction of API

An API exactly defines the methods for one software program to interact with others.

there will be some methods that are defined in API so that you can interact with one software to the other and API generally involves calling functions from within a software program.

this is one of the methodologies of using an API that an API when you want to perform some function so there are some inbuilt functions available in an API.you simply need to call that function.

The reason it is called an interface to the application programming done when this action involves sending the data over a network web service.

Web service

when the action of communication takes place onto the network then the definition changes and then it is called web service because the service is running on a lab in case of web applications the API used is web-based because for many applications it's mandatory that.

there should be communication between the network between the web so the API uses this, in that case, it will be web-based means an API that is running on the web.

now desktop applications such as fetch sheets that you call as Excel sheets or micro Excel and Word documents like MS Word use VBA and comm based API which do not involve web service.

now it's a very good example that when you are working on your PC you are working on an excel sheet you're working on MS Word in that case API are getting called but there is no internet connection required when you are working in an excel sheet or ms word.

in that case, we do not involve web service because web service comes into the picture when there is only Weber connection is required but for working on spreadsheet and Word documents you do not require web service.

that is for desktop applications a web service is merely an API wrapped in HTTP.

now this definition is it's all that web service is nothing but an API actually but when an API is wrapped in HTTP because we know that as YouTube is a protocol that is used to make a communication over a network that is hypertext Transfer Protocol. an API does not always need to be web-based an API consists of a complete set of rules and specifications for a software program.

To follow in order to facilitate interaction so it will consist of some protocols and specifications and rules in order to make an interaction the API can be exposed in a number of ways.

which include comm objects DLL dot H file in C C++ programming language jar files or RMA in java XML over HTTP JSON over HTTP.

 so it's a very good example that if you are working in windows or if you are working in java generally jar files.

so jar file is nothing but a library that is consisting of all the functions that you can perform so that is an example of an API DLL file is there that is used in windows applications.

these are also an API because you can perform you simply use to import the functions from the dot H files and from the jar files and you are using those functions.

Now some of the major differences that will become much more clear that what is the exact difference and how can we explain the differences between prepared versus web service so all web services are API but the reverse is not true but all API is are not web service now there is a very hidden thing here that web service is definitely API’s because web service is also performing some functionality.

But the difference is the web services over the network and appeases not over the network. so we can say that web service is always API because these are performing some functions but all API is are not web services the reverse is not true because then an API.

It's a web service it simply means it is performing some application functions that are application programming interface but it becomes a web service when a RestAPI is exposed on to the net.

that is but in network so as I told you that like if you're working on excel sheets or spreadsheets then you are using API you are not using web service okay so if you are using Google search.

let's but if you are performing some google search like you are searching automation testing so in that case a web service is called that brings the response of the search result from Google.

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