In plain language
An API is like a service counter: one system makes a defined request, and the other returns a defined response without exposing its internal machinery.
Example
A workflow sends a customer ID to a CRM API and receives that customer’s current account details.
Related terms
Integration · Api Key · Payload · Rate Limit · Webhook
Common misconception
An API is not a database or a user interface, and access to an API does not automatically grant access to every underlying record.
Implementation guidance
Read the provider’s documentation first, use a supported API version, validate responses, set timeouts, and log request IDs without logging secrets.