API (for AI Models)
An Application Programming Interface that allows developers to access AI model capabilities programmatically through structured requests and responses.
How AI APIs Work
You send a request (typically HTTP/JSON) containing your input (text prompt, image, etc.) and parameters (model name, temperature, max tokens). The API processes it on remote servers and returns the model's output.
Major AI API Providers
Anthropic: Claude models via Messages API. OpenAI: GPT and DALL-E. Google: Gemini. Hugging Face: Inference API for thousands of open models. Replicate: Run open-source models via API.
Key Concepts
Rate limits, API keys for authentication, token-based pricing, streaming responses, function/tool calling, and structured output modes.