Why are APIs difficult to learn and use?
Christopher Scaffidi · XRDS Crossroads The ACM Magazine for Students · 2006
An Application Programming Interface (API) comprises reusable functionality accessible through parameterized commands or functions. Examples include the Java and.NET class libraries, the C++ standard template library, and the system calls exposed by operating systems. An API serves as a foundation for creating applications by saving programmers the time necessary to code basic functionality from scratch.