API (Application Programming Interface)
An API is a set of rules and protocols that allow applications to communicate with each other, for example, to retrieve data from external services like Google Maps in web design . It is relevant in hosting and SEO for integrations, automations, and dynamic content; REST APIs are common.
An interface is a pre-defined language between two programs. Your shop queries the shipping provider for package tracking, your form submits an address to the newsletter service, your booking system synchronizes appointments with the calendar. Without an interface, the only option would be manual work: exporting, reformatting, importing.
The cost aspect is crucial. Every request takes time. If a page retrieves exchange rates from an external interface on every request, and that interface responds in 400 milliseconds, this increases the loading time by precisely those 400 milliseconds. With a 15-minute buffer, the number of requests drops from 1.000 to 96 for 1.000 page views per day, and the additional cost disappears.
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