What is an API?

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) define the ways in which applications and software components communicate with each other.

The term usually refers to web-based APIs, which underpin digital ecosystems by making services and information easily available within and across organisations.

Benefits of an API

APIs allow:

• open or appropriately secured information and data to flow within government
• government and non-government systems to interact with each other
• information to be held in 1 place but used and reused in many places
• active support for the principles for open and transparent government.

An API:

• saves time — updated information is available through the API automatically
• helps to make information more reliable as it managed from 1 source
• makes it possible to share information through many sources in a consistent way
• increases the focus on customer needs by enabling agencies to share information and deliver multi-agency or ‘joined-up’ services more efficiently.