API - application programming interface

An API is a series of functions that programs can use to make the operating system do their dirty work.

Microsoft Windows provides an API which, if programmers use it, guarantees a consistent graphical user interface for Windows based applications. Using Windows APIs, for example, a program can open windows, files, and message boxes--as well as perform more complicated tasks--by passing a single instruction. Windows has several classes of APIs that deal with telephony, messaging, and other issues.

The API allows the developer to modify the server's default behavior and give it new capabilities. When a server's default behavior is modified--for example, in logging transactions--the server uses the code in an API module instead of its own built-in code.

When functionality is added to a server--such as database access--the API acts as an interface between the server and another application.

Different programming languages can make use of the routines buried in the API, so API is not a language, but a resource that languages use.

TAPI - Telephony Application Programming Interface

A specialized API for connecting a Windows PC to telephone services. Microsoft and Intel developed TAPI as a method of giving a user's computer control over his or her telephone service. With TAPI the user can dial the phone, receive calls, transfer calls, and even look up caller ID information in a database. The user can learn details about the person calling before answering the phone.

SAPI - Speech Application Programming Interface

Saves programmers the hassle of programming hardware directly when they develop speech-related applications, like voice recognition, text-to-speech conversion, and voice menus. TAPI and SAPI can be used together to develop telephony applications.

ISAPI - Internet Server Application Program Interface

An API specifically for Microsoft's Internet Information Server. This application programming interface, created by Process Software and Microsoft, is tailored to Internet servers. ISAPI uses Windows' dynamic link libraries (DLLs) to make processes faster than under regular APIs.

NSAPI - Netscape Server Application Programming Interface

An API specifically for Netscape's Web servers. Netscape's API was designed as a more robust and efficient replacement for CGI.

Both ISAPI and NSAPI enable Web programmers to develop faster running and more sophisticated applications because the APIs are tightly integrated with the Web server software.

DLL - dynamic link library -

When you're trying to share functions or resources among Windows programs, you generally put them in DLLs. These libraries do all kinds of things, such as enabling Visual Basic programs (vbrun3.dll) or creating network sockets that allow you to hook up to the Internet (winsock.dll).

Dynamic Link Library (DLL)

A file containing a collection of executable functions or data that can be used by a Windows application. Many DLLs are provided with Windows as part of the operating system, and other DLLs are loaded as part of an application installation process. Applications can make a static link to a DLL that remains constant during program execution. They may also make a dynamic link which exists only when needed by the application. Several applications can share a DLL at the same time, so a corrupted or deleted DLL can affect the operation of many applications.

Structured Query Language (SQL)

The standard language used to request information from computer databases. SQL was originally used on mainframes and minicomputers starting in the mid 1970s. Now personal computers are more powerful than the mainframes of that time, and SQL is becoming the common language for creating database queries. SQL will support databases that are distributed across several computers. SQL makes it possible for several users to access the same database at the same time.

Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA)

An architecture that allows pieces of programs to communicate with each other, no matter what language  the pieces were written in. These program pieces are called objects.

Component Object Mode (COM) and Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM)

Microsoft's implementation of the CORBA architecture. Many other competing CORBA  implementations are available from IBM, Sun, and Netscape. COM-compliant  applications are written in binary code so that objects within the code can be  accessed by any other COM-compliant application.

Which editor is best?

Welcome to the World of Questy

Welcome to the World of Questy -- The World of Questy Sites are currrently undergoing a major overhaul. Stay tuned for updated links and news in 2008!

Unless otherwise credited all photos and graphics are the copyrighted property of Questy aka Tom Peracchio. Unauthorized reproduction of any of the pages of this web site is illegal, not to mention rude.
- Copyright 1990 through 2008 -