Do I need to know about APIs?
Quick Answer
A conceptual understanding helps significantly. APIs are how different services communicate-when your app talks to Stripe for payments or sends emails, that's an API.
Full Explanation
APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are one of those concepts that sounds technical but is actually quite intuitive once explained.
What APIs are: Think of an API as a menu at a restaurant. The menu tells you what you can order and what you'll get back. You don't need to know how the kitchen works-you just need to know the menu.
Similarly, Stripe's API says 'send me card details and an amount, I'll send you back a confirmation'. You don't need to understand how credit card processing works internally.
Why understanding APIs matters for vibe coding:
- Most apps combine multiple services (database, payments, email, AI)
- Each service has an API that your app uses
- When AI generates code that calls an API, understanding the concept helps you troubleshoot
- Sometimes you'll need to provide API keys or configure API access
Concepts worth knowing:
- API keys: Like passwords that identify your app to a service
- Endpoints: Specific URLs you send requests to
- Request/response: You ask for something, you get something back
- Rate limits: How often you can make requests before being blocked
You don't need to write API calls from scratch-AI handles that. But understanding what's happening helps you describe what you want and debug when things go wrong.
Related Questions
What's the difference between frontend and backend?
Frontend is what users see and interact with (buttons, forms, layouts). Backend is the behind-the-scenes logic (databases, user accounts, business logic). Most apps need both.
What's Supabase and why is it popular?
Supabase is an open-source backend platform that gives you a database, authentication, and APIs in one place. It's popular because it's powerful, beginner-friendly, and free to start.
How do I debug when something breaks?
Read error messages carefully, ask AI to explain them, check browser console for errors, and isolate the problem by testing one thing at a time. Debugging is a learnable skill.
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