---
title: "Difference between an API and a Web service?"  
description: "API (Application Programming Interface) is a general concept. An API is a set of rules and definitions that allows one software component to communicate with a"  
author: "Anubhav Sharma"  
published: 2026-01-11  
updated: 2026-01-12  
canonical: https://answers.mindstick.com/blog/20/difference-between-an-api-and-a-web-service  
category: "programming"  
tags: ["api", "web service"]  
reading_time: 3 minutes  

---

# Difference between an API and a Web service?

> #### API
>
> An [API](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/338302/types-of-apis-a-comprehensive-guide) is primarily focused on enabling [communication](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/126321/5-fails-and-fixes-of-the-office-communication) between a web service and a client application. It typically has narrower scopes and may offer functions or methods as clear-cut entry points.

> #### Web Service
>
> A [web service](https://www.mindstick.com/interview/23376/what-is-web-services), on the other hand, is more expansive, enabling interaction not just with clients, but also with other softwares, resulting in a more comprehensive service-oriented architecture.

## 1. What is an API?

[**API (Application Programming Interface)**](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/338051/a-step-by-step-guide-to-creating-and-deploying-apis) is a **general concept**. An API is a set of rules and definitions that allows **one software [component](https://www.mindstick.com/interview/729/what-is-a-component) to communicate with another**.

![Difference between an API and a Web service?](https://answers.mindstick.com/blogs/6d83f80a-b161-4957-8f70-c5b660b5eb81/images/73eb7b10-5c46-45f0-8be6-954707f7ff12.png)

Key points:

- Can be **local or remote**
- Can use **any protocol or method**
- Can expose functions, classes, or endpoints
- Not necessarily over the internet

Examples:

- [Java API](https://www.mindstick.com/interview/1935/what-is-the-java-api) (`List`, `Map`)
- .NET API (`System.IO`)
- Browser APIs (`localStorage`, `Geolocation`)
- REST API between frontend and backend

**All [web services](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/942/basics-of-asp-dot-net-web-services) are APIs, but not all APIs are web services.**

## 2. What is a Web Service?

A **Web Service** is a **specific type of API** that:

![Difference between an API and a Web service?](https://answers.mindstick.com/blogs/6d83f80a-b161-4957-8f70-c5b660b5eb81/images/82991d62-698a-4d73-b653-74fb2a148ea2.jpg)

- Communicates **over the web**
- Uses **standard web protocols**
- Is designed for **machine-to-machine communication**

Key points:

- Always **network-based**
- Uses **HTTP/HTTPS**
- Data format is standardized (XML, JSON)
- Platform and language independent

Examples:

- [RESTful services](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/302506/restful-apis-building-and-consuming-web-services)
- [SOAP services](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/337507/a-comparison-of-restful-services-and-soap-pros-and-cons)
- GraphQL services

## 3. Key Differences (Side-by-Side)

| Aspect | API | Web Service |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Scope | Broad concept | Subset of API |
| Network required | Not always | Always |
| Protocols | Any (TCP, HTTP, in-process) | HTTP/HTTPS |
| Data format | Any | XML / JSON |
| Platform independent | Not required | Yes |
| Example | Java API, OS API | REST, SOAP |

## 4. Types of Web Services

Common web service types:

- **SOAP** – XML-based, strict standards
- **REST** – Lightweight, HTTP-based, most popular
- **GraphQL** – Client-driven queries
- **gRPC** – Binary, high-performance

## 5. Simple Real-World Analogy

- **API** → A contract/menu that defines *what* you can ask for
- **Web Service** → A waiter delivering your order **over the internet**

Menu inside a restaurant = API\
Online [food delivery](https://www.mindstick.com/news/2434/the-amazon-food-delivery-service-will-end-the-29th-of-december) = Web Service

## 6. One-Line Interview Answer

> **An API is a general interface for software communication, while a web service is an API that communicates over the web using standard protocols like HTTP.**

---

Original Source: https://answers.mindstick.com/blog/20/difference-between-an-api-and-a-web-service

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