For me a good analogy to API is driving a car. The interface (API) to the car is the steering wheel, the pedals, and some common controls like signals and the h

For me a good analogy to API is driving a car. The interface (API) to the car is the steering wheel, the pedals, and some common controls like signals and the horn. You only need to learn to drive one car, and you can drive them all. But under the hood the cars are completely different. Gas, diesel, battery, hybrid, all have the same API, yet no one says that you copied a car if it has a steering wheel. One could probably reinvent the (steering) wheel and possibly make a better interface to the car, but that would result in people having to learn how to drive your car specifically.