I’m pretty new to this whole tech thing and keep hearing people talk about APIs but I have no clue what they actually are. Can someone explain in simple terms what an API is and why people use them? I’m especially curious about how they work with government websites like USCIS where you can check application status online. I tried looking it up but all the explanations are way too technical for me to understand. Like when I go to check my immigration case status, am I using some kind of API? How does that actually work behind the scenes? Would really appreciate if someone could break this down for a beginner like me. Thanks for any help you can give me on this topic.
an api is like a messenger for different software. when you check your uscic status, the site uses an api to fetch your case info from its database. you just enter ur receipt number and boom, it does all that work for u! super easy!
Think of an API like a restaurant waiter. You don’t walk into the kitchen to cook your own food - you tell the waiter what you want, they relay it to the kitchen, and bring your meal back. APIs work the same way between computer systems. When you check your USCIS case status online, your browser is the customer. It sends a request through an API asking USCIS servers for your case info. The API plays waiter - it grabs your request, hits their database, and brings back your status to display on screen. You’re not touching their internal systems directly, just getting what you need through this go-between. Keeps their main systems safe while you still get your data. Most websites you use every day run on APIs like this - you just don’t see it happening behind the scenes.
APIs are bridges connecting different software systems so they can communicate. I’m in web development and use these daily. When you check your USCIS case status online, you’re hitting their API without knowing it. You type your receipt number, click submit, and your request goes through their API to the database, which sends back your status info. APIs let outside apps access specific data or functions without touching the main system directly. That’s how USCIS can handle millions of status checks without exposing their internal databases. Every online service you use - weather apps, social media logins, payments - relies on APIs working behind the scenes.