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APIs let software systems request data or capabilities from one another. For web applications, that often means sending an HTTP request to a provider’s server and receiving a machine-readable response. AI services use APIs too, but may offer more than a simple request-and-response exchange: documented options can include tool use and realtime audio sessions.
What an API does
An application programming interface (API) defines how one software system can ask another for information or an action. It is a contract between the caller and the service: the caller needs to know what requests are accepted and what kind of response to expect.
For a third-party web API, a browser or server typically communicates with the provider over HTTP. An application might request data, submit information, or ask a service to perform a capability it exposes. The provider processes the request and returns a response the application can use. The application does not need to know how the provider implements that capability internally.
MDN describes third-party APIs as services hosted on third-party servers that browser JavaScript can access through HTTP: MDN: Introduction to client-side APIs.
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How applications connect to an HTTP API
At a high level, an integration has three parts: the destination and request, any required credentials, and the response-handling logic. The exact endpoints, request fields, authentication method, and response format vary by provider, so an application must follow that API’s documentation.
- Choose an integration route. Send HTTP requests directly, or use a provider’s software development kit (SDK).
- Build and send a request. The request targets an API endpoint and includes the information and authentication required by the service.
- Handle the response. The application parses the result and decides how to use it. It should also account for errors and operational limits documented by the provider.
Direct HTTP requests
With direct HTTP calls, developers control request construction and response handling themselves. This avoids relying on an SDK, but leaves more implementation details to the application.
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Provider SDKs
An SDK can wrap common tasks such as choosing endpoints, constructing HTTP payloads, sending requests, and parsing responses. That can reduce repetitive integration work, but the SDK is still a way to call the API—not a replacement for understanding the provider’s contract, credentials, errors, or limits.
Why machine-readable API descriptions help
OpenAPI provides a standard, programming-language-agnostic way to describe HTTP APIs. The OpenAPI Initiative’s OpenAPI Specification 3.0.4, published on 24 October 2024, describes how a service interface can be represented so that people and software can understand it.
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When a provider publishes a sufficiently complete OpenAPI description, it can support generated documentation, client and server code, testing, and other tools. This can make an API easier to explore and integrate with. The specification is a particular dated version; its citation here does not establish that it is the newest OpenAPI version.
What changes when the API is for AI
AI APIs are not all one interface or interaction style. The available surface depends on the service and task. OpenAI’s API overview is one provider-specific example, not a definition of every AI API: OpenAI API overview.
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- Model requests: An application can send text, images, or audio as input and receive a model response. OpenAI documents its Responses API for direct model requests, tool use, and stateful interactions.
- Tool use: Some model workflows can use tools. The application still has to integrate the API surface and manage the surrounding interaction; “AI API” does not automatically mean the model can access every capability in an application.
- Realtime sessions: For interactive audio use cases, OpenAI documents Realtime sessions over WebRTC, WebSocket, or SIP. These are session-based options rather than merely another name for a conventional one-off HTTP request.
OpenAI’s overview directs developers to select an API surface, create credentials, use an official client library or call HTTP directly, and review errors, rate limits, and request IDs before production. Those operational details matter whether an application calls a conventional API or an AI service.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Protect API credentials
API keys are secrets: anyone who obtains a usable key may be able to make requests under the associated account or permissions. Do not put a private key in browser JavaScript, a mobile app, or other client-side code that users can inspect or extract.
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For an application that needs a private provider key, keep the credential on a server and have the client call your server instead. OpenAI recommends server-side environment variables or a key-management service for storing keys. Follow the specific API vendor’s authentication and security guidance; MDN also cautions developers to protect API keys: MDN’s third-party API guidance.
A browser-facing API designed for public client use is a different case from embedding a private server credential. Do not assume a key is safe to expose just because an API call works from a browser; check the provider’s documentation for supported client-side authentication and restrictions.
Browser APIs are not the same as hosted AI APIs
Some APIs are provided by the browser itself rather than a third-party service reached through an application’s server request. MDN’s Prompt API, for example, is an API for prompting a language model provided by the user agent. MDN marks it as limited availability and notes opposition from two browser vendors, so it should not be treated as broadly supported or interchangeable with a server-hosted AI API: MDN: Prompt API.
Quick Recap
What to check before building an integration
- Confirm the API’s supported endpoints, request and response formats, and authentication requirements in its documentation.
- Check whether the provider offers an SDK or OpenAPI description, and whether its tooling supports your language and workflow.
- Match the interaction pattern to the task: ordinary request/response, tool use, or a documented realtime session.
- Keep private credentials out of client-side code and use the provider’s recommended secret-storage approach.
- Plan for documented errors, rate limits, and request identifiers before deploying an integration.
- If relying on a browser-provided API, verify support in the browsers your users actually use.
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