Search code examples
web-servicesapidifference

WEB API's VS WEB SERVICES?


I have searched a lot upon internet but still i didn't get the clear difference between web services and web APIs? Somewhere I read that all web services are API's but all API' are not web services. How?

What all I know is both allow to utilize the functionality of other applications.Can someone describe me clear difference?


Solution

  • An API (Application Program Interface) is the interface through which another program can communicate with a program.

    A web service in this context is one of those programs with an API. 'Web' means that it is accessible via the web, mostly via HTTP. A service usually has a well defined purpose.

    For instance a date web service's purpose could be to provide the current date. The API of my service would have a single 'endpoint': get the date. The service then implements this API. It somehow retrieves the date and sends it back.