APIs with Python: A Practical Glossary of Core Concepts and Terms
APIs with Python: A Practical Glossary of Core Concepts and Terms
Glossary 1: Terms From the Transcript (Alphabetical)
API (Application Programming Interface)
A set of rules that allows different software applications to communicate and exchange data or functionality. It acts as a bridge between systems.
API Endpoint
A specific URL where an API can be accessed to perform operations or retrieve data.
API Key
A unique identifier passed with a request to authenticate the client making the request.
Authentication
The process of verifying the identity of a user or application before granting access to an API.
Client
The application or system that sends a request to a server to access resources or services.
Cloud API
An API that allows interaction with cloud-based services over the internet.
DELETE (HTTP Method)
An HTTP request method used to remove data from a server.
GET (HTTP Method)
An HTTP request method used to retrieve data from a server.
GraphQL
A query language for APIs that allows clients to request exactly the data they need.
Header (HTTP Header)
Metadata included in HTTP requests and responses, providing information such as content type or authentication details.
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)
The protocol used for transferring data over the internet between clients and servers.
HTTP Request
A message sent from a client to a server asking for data or to perform an action.
HTTP Response
The reply sent by a server to a client, containing status information and requested data.
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)
A lightweight data format used for storing and exchanging data, structured as key-value pairs.
Local API
An API that operates within a local system or application environment.
OAuth (OAuth 1.0a / OAuth 2.0)
An authentication protocol that allows secure access to APIs using tokens instead of passwords.
Parameter (Query Parameter)
Data sent along with an HTTP request, often used to filter or modify the response.
POST (HTTP Method)
An HTTP request method used to send data to a server, often to create a new resource.
PUT (HTTP Method)
An HTTP request method used to update existing data on a server.
Requests Library (Python)
A popular third-party Python library used to send HTTP requests in a simple and user-friendly way.
Resource
The data or service that an API provides, typically identified by a URL.
REST (Representational State Transfer)
An architectural style for designing APIs that use standard HTTP methods and are stateless.
Server
A system that receives requests and sends back responses, typically hosting APIs.
SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol)
A protocol for exchanging structured data between systems, often more complex than REST.
Stateless Protocol
A type of protocol where each request is independent and contains all necessary information, with no memory of previous requests.
Status Code
A numeric code in an HTTP response indicating the result of a request (e.g., 200 for success, 404 for not found).
URL (Uniform Resource Locator)
The address used to access a resource on the internet.
urllib (Python Library)
A built-in Python library used for handling URLs and making HTTP requests.
Web API
An API that is accessible over the internet using HTTP.
Alright now, here are some additional terms that neglected getting mentioned in the above glossary. Here they are:
Glossary 2: Additional Critical API/Python Terms (Alphabetical)
These are important missing terms that are highly relevant to APIs in Python but were not clearly defined in the transcript.
Base URL
The root URL of an API to which endpoints are appended.
Body (Request/Response Body)
The main data payload sent in an HTTP request or returned in a response.
CRUD Operations
The four basic operations for managing data: Create, Read, Update, Delete.
JSON Parsing
The process of converting JSON data into Python objects (e.g., dictionaries or lists).
json Module (Python)
A built-in Python module used to parse JSON strings into Python objects and convert Python objects into JSON.
Rate Limiting
A restriction imposed by APIs that limits how many requests a client can make in a given time.
Response Object (Python Requests)
The object returned by the requests library containing data such as status code, headers, and content.
Serialization
The process of converting data structures into a format (like JSON) that can be transmitted over a network.
Session (HTTP Session)
A way to persist parameters across multiple HTTP requests using the same connection.
Timeout
A limit on how long a client will wait for a server to respond before aborting the request.