In the blog post, API vs Web Service: What’s the Difference?, the authors state that “All web services are APIs, but not all APIs are web services.” For your initial discussion post:
- Create an explanation for this statement that you could share with someone new to the information technology field.
- Make sure you include information that describes what web services and APIs are, and also clearly explains why “All web services are APIs, but not all APIs are web services.”
In your response to your peers, provide feedback on their explanations.
References
RapidAPI Staff. (2019, February 28). API vs web service: What’s the difference? Retrieved from https://blog.rapidapi.com/api-vs-web-service/
https://rapidapi.com/blog/api-vs-web-service/
Scott Rissmiller posted Jul 7, 2021 9:23 PM
The phrase “All web services are APIs, but not all APIs are web services” seems simple at first but can be more complicated when understanding what APIs and web services do. In order to understand what they are and what their differences are. Simply put, a webservice allows two machines to talk to each other though it must occur through a network, while an API or Application Programming Interface provides a set of provides the tools such as protocols that will allow applications to communicate with each other (RapidAPIStaff, 2021). The major difference is between an API and a web service is while web services must communicate through a network, but some APIs don’t.
References
RapidAPI Staff. (2021, April 20). API vs web service: What’s the difference?
Retrieved from https://blog.rapidapi.com/api-vs-web-service/
PI Staff. (2019, February 28). API vs web service: What’s the difference? Retrieved from https://blog.rapidapi.com/api-vs-web-service/
Thomas Talbot posted Jul 7, 2021 3:49 PM
When one hears the saying that “All web services are APIs, but not all APIs are web services” it might be confusing. This is completely understandable. First, one must know the definitions of both API and Web Service.
API stands for Application Programming Interface. An API is an application that interfaces with an external service, therefore allowing the two applications to talk with one another. Many people use APIs everyday without even realizing it. Some examples of APIs are Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, travel websites, PayPal, weather snippets, streaming services, financial institutions, or the ability to login to other websites using your social media account (Bush, 2019).
Some characteristics of APIs are:
- Developer-friendly, broadly understood and easy to access (“What is an API? (Application Programming Interface)”, n.d.).
- They are monitored and managed for security, performance, and scale access (“What is an API? (Application Programming Interface)”, n.d.).
- They are designed and created for specific types of audiences access (“What is an API? (Application Programming Interface)”, n.d.).
- Allow for programmers to generate programs faster as the interface is already created for them.
Another manner in which to explain an API to an individual would be to compare the API to employees at a movie theater. The employee at the desk will sell you a ticket to see a movie. Once you have the ticket in hand, you will see the next employee and hand them the ticket, thus allowing you in to see the movie.
A Web Service is a manner in which two electronic devices communicate with one another over a network (RapidAPIStaff, 2021).
Some characteristics of Web Services are:
- They usually use the XML messaging system (“What are Web Services?,” n.d.)
- They are not tied exclusively to one type of Operating System or computer programming language (“What are Web Services?,” n.d.)
- They can be used over internet or intranet connections
A Web Service could also be described as one computer talking to another computer to seek out information or to make a request for the other computer to complete a task.
When looking at the difference between an API and a Web Service it could simply be described as a human vs. a computer requesting an assist from another entity. However, APIs do not always need a network connection to work while all Web Services require a network in order to function (RapidAPIStaff, 2021).
References
Bush, T. (2019, December 10). 5 Examples of APIs We Use in Our Everyday Lives. Retrieved from https://nordicapis.com/5-examples-of-apis-we-use-in-our-everyday-lives/
RapidAPIStaff. (2021, April 20). API vs Web Service: What’s the Difference? Retrieved from https://rapidapi.com/blog/api-vs-web-service/
What is an API? (Application Programming Interface). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mulesoft.com/resources/api/what-is-an-api
What are Web Services? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.tutorialspoint.com/webservices/what_ar…
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