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GP is asking for examples of when copyrighting an API would be a problem. They used web APIs because that's apparently what they are most easily able to call t
by askldfhjkasfhd 10y ago
GP is asking for examples of when copyrighting an API would be a problem. They used web APIs because that's apparently what they are most easily able to call to mind.
I've found many programmers think of APIs as ways of interacting with remote systems, usually via http/json/REST. Personally, I think of an API as things like an argument signature in a library, or even hooks in an OS.
To me, API literally means a programmatic interface to some code. How you write code to interact with other code.
[Not that you said anything differently, I was just trying to expand a little on the different perspectives of 'API' I have encountered.]
- groovy2shoes 10y agoAh, thanks. I really don't know anything about Web APIs. I'd heard the terms "Web API" and "REST", etc. before, but didn't realize it was just a site that you sent special HTTP requests to. Thought there might be something more involved than that? Like Websockets or something. Mostly that sounds like an RPC to me, which I suppose is technically an API, but I'm used to hearing the more specific term.
- askldfhjkasfhd 10y agoYour mental model is pretty accurate for a rough sketch. Those terms are all used in a similar manner depending on who you talk to. Personally, I go with the most general usage of API: an interface to interact with programmatically.