An open API, also known as a public API, is a publicly available application programming interface that provides developers with programmatic access to a software program's features
. It is an open standard for describing APIs, allowing developers to provide an API specification encoded in a JSON or YAML document
. Open APIs are published on the internet and shared freely, allowing the owner of a network-accessible service to give universal access to consumers
. OpenAPI is a specification language for HTTP APIs that defines structure and syntax in a way that is not wedded to the programming language the API is created in
. It is highly compatible with systems written in different programming languages
. Open APIs can be used by businesses seeking to leverage the ever-growing community of freelancing developers
. The benefits of using an open API include reduced dependencies between development teams and certain application components, less time spent fixing mistakes made when writing code, and the ability to still use preferred development tools alongside an open API
