What the app is an interface?

Communication is vital to the moving pieces of the digital world. And between the communicators are interfaces.

Between a user and a device is a User Interface. Between a device and a peripheral is a Pluggable Interface. Between one internet device and another is a Between one app and another service is an Application Programming Interface.

These interfaces are the rules that allow both sides to understand each other. These rules have their own history and culture.

There’s certain ways to design user interfaces. Design conventions and patterns keep things familiar for users, and keep things simpler for the designers.

There’s certain ways to design application programming interfaces. Again conventions give a familiar ground for the users of this interface: the application programmers. And again patterns make it easier for service providers to design the structure of their interface.

The interfaces aid the communication in the digital world. In the end, data gets received and data gets sent. Interfaces make this process a whole lot nicer. They are the translators between worlds.