Final answer:
An API provides functionality for interacting with databases, performing computations, fetching results, and transforming data into user-friendly formats. It serves as a bridge for different software systems to communicate and operate seamlessly.
Step-by-step explanation:
An API (Application Programming Interface) provides functionality for several tasks that are essential for integrating different software systems. Here's what an API typically allows a developer to do:
- Interact with databases - APIs can be used to create, read, update, and delete information in databases in a structured and secure manner.
- Performing computations - APIs can carry out complex computations and process data on behalf of an application without the application needing to have the logic built-in.
- Fetching results - APIs can access services and fetch data that applications can use, such as weather information, currency conversion rates, or even real-time stock market data.
- Transforming query results to user-friendly formats - APIs often take raw data and convert it into a format that is more convenient for application developers to implement and for end-users to understand.