Explaining APIs to your grandmother

How would you explain an API (for e.g., call API, SMS API) to your grandmother? — This is a question we ask our potential hires during their interview. And here are some of the funniest responses we’ve received over the last few years.

For the hi-tech grandma

“APIs are computers sitting in various places. Each computer has an address. If we know the address, we can contact the computer and use the service.”

Ok, I got it, can you point me to your API documentation?

“An API is a layer of endpoints to communicate with the business logic or platform without understanding the complexity of the platform in question and access its data and features.”

Sure, I understood exactly what you said.

“It’s a way for a grandmom to use her mobile to talk to her grandchild or relative using a computer over the Internet.”

“An API is a layer of endpoints to communicate with the business logic or platform without understanding the complexity of the platform in question and access its data and features.”

“API bole toh baat karne ka tareeka. Samajh lo sabke apne apne ishaare hain har kaam ke liye, toh har vyakti ke ishaare uska API hain.”

“The TV remote is the API to watch TV. You just need to know what buttons do what.”

Wait, TV remote is a product or API?

“API is the podi (powder) that you prepared which everyone asks from you, to make the best sambar ever !”

“API is like a postcard where you write your question in your language and send it to a particular address. The destination is capable of understanding any language and provide back the answer in your language again back on a postcard.”