What is the role of APIs in web application development?
APIs play a crucial role in web application development by allowing different software systems to communicate and interact with each other. They enable developers to access services, functionalities, and data from external systems or platforms, making it easier to build rich and dynamic web applications. APIs act as intermediaries, providing a set of rules and protocols for how different components of an application can interact with each other. They enable seamless integration of third-party services, such as payment gateways, social media platforms, and geolocation services, into web applications. This helps developers to leverage existing functionalities and focus on building the core features of their applications.