• Web services and APIs are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but there are some differences between them. An API (Application Programming Interface) is a set of protocols, routines, and tools for building software applications. A web service is a type of API that can be accessed over a network and uses standardized protocols for communication.
  • Web services typically have a heavyweight design and use SOAP conventions to send and receive data over the network. APIs, on the other hand, have a lightweight architecture and are often used for mobile or IoT devices that have limited bandwidth and processing power.
  • Web services typically support only the HTTP protocol, while APIs can support a variety of protocols, including HTTP/s, TCP, and UDP. APIs also support multiple data formats, such as XML and JSON.
  • While web services can be consumed by any client that understands XML, APIs can be open-source and shipped with software development kits (SDKs) like .NET
  • Web services can be hosted on IIS, while APIs can be hosted on IIS or self-hosted using a lightweight web server.
BY Best Interview Question ON 07 Apr 2023