An application programming interface (API) is the specification for which software is meant to be used by other software.
279
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34answers
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How do I create my own programming language and a compiler for it
I am thorough with programming and have come across languages including BASIC, FORTRAN, COBOL, LISP, LOGO, Java, C++, C, MATLAB, Mathematica, Python, Ruby, Perl, JavaScript, Assembly and so on. I ...
16
votes
11answers
2k views
Is it a really required skill to program without API documentation?
I barely passed my Java programming exam today. I had to answer some general questions about threading which I did well and to write a little threaded program which was worse. I had to connect my ...
29
votes
10answers
2k views
How can I write a set of functions that can be invoked from (almost) any programming language?
I'd like to find a way to write an API that can be accessed from any other programming language via language bindings (or some other framework). Is it possible to do this? If so, which programming ...
12
votes
7answers
705 views
How do you remember numerous API?
I don't come from programming background, I mean I am not a hard core developer. Whatever language features I have learnt are attributed to Selenium test tool (my reasoning is not enough to justify ...
45
votes
4answers
1k views
Why were Java collections implemented with “optional methods” in the interface?
During my first implementation extending the Java collection framework, I was quite surprised to see that the collection interface contains methods declared as optional. The implementer is expected ...
4
votes
3answers
472 views
What should I name these methods?
I have two interfaces, one with and one without generic type parameters. The non-generic interface is used internally so that I can store instances of the generic interface in a collection. All would ...
43
votes
13answers
17k views
Why aren't more desktop apps written with Qt?
As far as I know and have understood in my experience with Qt, it's a very good and easy to learn library. It has a very well designed API and is cross-platform, and these are just two of the many ...
17
votes
2answers
824 views
Should a website use its own public API?
I am starting to write a webservice, and I've built with nodeJS and a RESTfulish approach.
From what I gather:
The advantage is that you don't have to duplicate code.
The disadvantages are that ...
14
votes
3answers
408 views
Does decoupling trump DRY in REST?
I am building a REST API to expose most of functionality of an existing Java API. Both APIs are for internal use within my organization; I do not have to design for external use. I have influence ...
3
votes
3answers
404 views
Was API hooking done as needed for Stuxnet to work? I don't think so
Caveat: I am a political science student and I have tried my level best to understand the technicalities; if I still sound naive please overlook that.
In the Symantec report on Stuxnet, the authors ...
9
votes
6answers
2k views
Are Java's public fields just a tragic historical design flaw at this point?
It seems to be Java orthodoxy at this point that one should basically never use public fields for object state. (I don't necessarily agree, but that's not relevant to my question.) Given that, would ...
3
votes
3answers
262 views
API method placement guidelines?
Are there any guidelines for placing methods in API when the placement isn't obvious?
Example: I have classes A and B and a method X. The work being carried out can be phrased in two ways:
A does X ...
3
votes
1answer
225 views
Apache Wave API
I'd like to create an application based around Apache Wave. Where can I learn more about working with Apache Wave and/or the API for a locally running instance?
At the moment, the extent of what I ...
