Let’s keep things simple.
Imagine you’re sending a letter to a friend. You put your message in an envelope, write the recipient’s address on it, and drop it in a mailbox. The letter goes through a series of steps to reach your friend’s mailbox.
Now, in the digital world, when your device (like a computer or phone) wants to communicate with a server (another computer), it uses something similar to an envelope. This “envelope” is called HTTP, which stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol.
HTTP is like the set of rules that your device and the server follow to exchange information. Just as your letter follows specific steps to travel from you to your friend, your device uses HTTP to send requests to the server. The server understands these requests and responds with the right information, just like your friend receiving and responding to your letter.
Now, where do APIs fit in?
APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are interfaces that helps you and the server understand each other’s requests and responses. They use HTTP to communicate. When your device wants something specific from a server, it sends an HTTP request with the help of an API. The server, which also understands the API’s rules, responds appropriately with the information you asked for.
So, think of HTTP as the system of sending and receiving messages, kind of like mailing letters, between your device and a server. APIs are the guides that ensure both sides understand what’s being asked for and how to respond. It’s like having a smooth conversation between your device and the server, all happening in a digital way.
HTTP Protocols: in a few words, the system for sending and receiving messages.
APIs: the guides that ensure both sides understand what’s being asked for and how to respond.