API (application programming interface)

An API is how software talks to other software. When your booking tool shows appointments in your CRM, or a chatbot checks your calendar, an API is doing the work behind the scenes.

How it works

One system sends a request to another system's API, such as "list open appointment slots for Tuesday" or "create a contact with these details". The receiving system checks that the request is allowed, carries it out and sends back a response, usually in a structured format called JSON.

Three ideas matter for a business owner:

• Authentication. Requests carry a key or token proving who is asking. Treat these like passwords.
• Permissions. Good APIs let you grant only the access a connection needs, for example read-only access to a calendar.
• Limits. Most APIs cap how many requests you can make in a given period.

Why it matters in a business

What you can automate depends on what your tools' APIs allow. If your scheduling software has an API that can create bookings, an AI agent can book appointments directly. If it only allows reading, the agent can check availability but not book. Before choosing software, check what its API supports; it is often a deciding factor between custom software and off-the-shelf tools.

An API answers when asked. Its counterpart, the webhook, sends a message the moment something happens.

How it relates to Worcia

APIs connect everything Worcia builds. Maestro, Worcia's workflow automation, uses them to link your tools, and Concierge, its AI receptionist, uses them to book and look up information during conversations.